Where There's A Will
by maramouse
Summary: Post-series, Luke and Lorelai find themselves with an unexpected situation on their hands. Join Luke, Lorelai, Rory, and the rest of the clan as they learn that where there is a Will, there is most certainly a way. JJ/Mild Lit.
1. Lorelai

Author's Note: This is the first part of my new story, a series of oneshots detailing how the Gilmore clan react when, the fall after "Bon Voyage," Luke and Lorelai finally find themselves (somewhat unexpectedly) facing their middle a little sooner than planned. If you've read this story before (it used to be called "The End of the Circle" and is still called that if you head over to my page on Black & White & Read, where I am publishing my oneshots separately under the Series umbrella, "Where There's A Way"), you'll see that I was originally going to publish all of my oneshots separately. Well, a few things happened. First of all, what was supposed to be three oneshots turned into four, then five, and is slowly growing at a steady number (I don't know how many there will be when I'm down). Second of all, I decided that since doesn't have Series umbrellas, it would be too confusing for readers to see one of my oneshots and read it without really knowing the context from another one. So, I'm simply publishing all of my oneshots in this story to avoid confusion.

If you're asking, "What is a series of oneshots, anyway?", the truth is, I don't know yet! I'm well aware that the mention of that in my summary will probably turn a few people off, but I will tell you that this is going to chronological. It's still going to follow a consistent timeline and subplots, but the difference is, there will be more switching around of people's POV's and in-depth character studies than a normal chapter fiction, where the character studies would be more drawn out, instead of specifically fixated on. It's basically, I don't know, sort of like an expanded vignette or really weirdly experimental literary version of a story (haha, I sound pretentious, but the truth is, I don't know what the heck this is either!). While going in a chronological order, each chapter (or oneshot) will focus on one of the Gilmore characters dealing with the situation at hand, while also moving the story further. Make sense? No? Well, you're just gonna have to read to see. Chances are, the bigger the Gilmore characters were on the show, the more likely they will be to have more than oneshot around them. This is primarily Lorelai and Luke's story, so it will focus on them as most; Rory will also have a lot of screentime, simply because she's Rory! So far, I'm thinking that characters like Emily, Richard, and April will also get a chapter to reflect on things (for all of those who came primarily because of the mild Lit thing, Jess probably won't have his own POV chapter, but he WILL be there starting in the fourth story to comment on Rory's end of things). It might not primarily be in said character's POV, but they will have a section of it to talk about what they're feeling. Each chapter is going to be titled by the character whose feelings are being reflected. I SWEAR, this will all make more sense when you read it!

As I referenced it in the author's note of my story, "Star's Cross Lovers," this is also SOMEWHAT of a prequel to that story (more will become clear when the last chapter of that is posted). I'm really not very original, so most of my post series stories (with the exception of "Love and Peace and Snow") will basically detail the same basic timeline that happens after the show...ie, Lucy and Will. You definitely don't have to read that one to understand this, as it's primarily fluff and VERY different in tone, but just fyi. Given the title, I think you can all get a pretty good idea of just "what" event it is that everyone is reacting to in this story. ;) Haha, aren't I clever with titles? ;)

Also, I'm not sure how factually accurate I have some of this, so to conclude this epically long chapter, if you could answer these questions in your review, I'll be grateful: (1) When approximately is Sookie's due date for her third child? (2) How many kids does Mia have anyway (is it stated)? Just John? (3) Forgive me if I've gotten any facts wrong about Mia and Howard...I haven't actually SEEN that episode yet; I've only read the transcript. Since I also don't understand why the wedding takes place in North Carolina in Mia lives in California (right?) and am not sure if Mia moved, I'm just going to say she didn't. Cause for the purpose of my story, it works a lot better if Mia lives in California. :)

And on with the show!

* * *

Lorelai

_She suddenly realizes that only she can decide whether this situation will be like last time; whether she'll finally have the whole package or whether her second child will also grow up without a father._

* * *

Life is a circle. You walk and walk and walk to the other side, determined to show the world you have grown up and moved on after all, but every so often, something will trip you up. It is then that you find that what you thought was a clear path is really a circle and now you are face-to-face with the past you thought you left behind.

As she takes the stick out of her purse, for a single instant, Lorelai Gilmore is not sure whether she is in 2007 or 1984.

Last time. Last time, she was sitting in the bathroom at school after hours, praying desperately that nobody would come in. It was a few days after the infamous coming out dress didn't fit, and after the stick did turn pink, Lorelai's prime concern was hiding the stick and depositing it in a place where nobody would find it. School wasn't an option, so instead, she went to a nearby street corner and placed it in the first trash can she found. It took a few days before she got up the courage to tell Christopher, let alone anyone else.

This time, things are different. For one thing, she is thirty-nine-years-old, a far cry from the almost sixteen-year-old that she was. She took the test in the privacy of her room, and though she still has taken great care that nobody sees it, it is not her classmates she is worried about, but her nosy town. Still, two very important facts remain the same. One, she is still not married. And two, though the circumstances are completely different, she has not yet not shared the news with the father.

Lorelai quickly places the stick back into her purse when the door opens. She clears her throat, as she finds herself meeting a familiar set of soft blue eyes. "H-hi."

For a moment, the two women can only stare at each other, Lorelai taking in the newly married, elder woman who took her in so many years ago. Lorelai knows she is being observed too: the coat on her shoulders, to protect her from the October air; the frayed blue jeans she is wearing; her unkempt hair; and most of all, her enormous suitcase pulled behind her, which states, without so many words, that she is not sure how long she is staying or when she is coming back.

But although Lorelai knows this elder woman notices all of these things about her, she has always been blessed with the gift of knowing exactly what Lorelai needs. So, instead of giving her a lecture or asking questions as anyone else would have done, Mia pulls her into a hug. Lorelai melts into it, feeling extremely grateful that she has Mia in her life.

"I missed you," she whispers.

* * *

Last time. Last time, the first thing she did as soon as she threw the test away, was go into a nearby record shop. It was a shop that her parents would have fiercely disapproved of, a shop Christopher and she had gone into many times before-a shop that the present day Lane would be obsessed with. Lorelai would have been afraid of running into Christopher here, but for the moment she knew that her boyfriend was safely squared away at lacrosse practice. For once, she was grateful that he played that particular sport.

She was scanning through the rock sections to find a C.D.-she hadn't decided on what-when Lorelai felt someone's attention was on her. She turned around to find a woman, who was clearly one of the employees, looking at her. She had to be new, judging from the fact that Lorelai had never seen her around before. She was in her mid-twenties, had bright red hair and polka dot stilettos, and was normally someone Lorelai would have struck up a conversation with. Today, Lorelai's heart beat quicker, realizing all too well that more likely than not, when she was this woman's age, she would be the mother of a ten-year-old.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, oblivious to Lorelai's thoughts.

Lorelai swallowed hard, reminding herself that there was no way this woman could see through her. "No, uh, I was just looking. Looking for what, I don't know, but just looking. You know." She smiled widely at the woman, her cheeks flaming from what she was sure had been a display of idiocy. _Dammit, Gilmore. Sometimes you just don't know when to shut up!_

If the woman, however, thought that she was an idiot, she did not say so. "Do you like any music in particular?" she asked.

"Well, uh, everything, really. Bono, I went through a Paul Anka period when I was younger, I recently got into the Bangles, your classic boy bands, as long as they've got some cute members…I'm not too picky. " She suddenly realized that lusting after celebrities was probably a no-no now that she was probably condemned to spend the rest of her life with Christopher. The thought made her draw in her breath quickly, as a fact suddenly became clear to her: she was not in love with him. She enjoyed being his girlfriend, sure, but she was not in love with him, at least not in an Alex/Nick _Flashdance _sort of way.

The woman chuckled, and Lorelai realized again how she looked like from the outside. While she had undoubtedly gained some weight in the last few months, she did not yet look pregnant. The woman probably assumed she was just an average, boy crazy, teenager-rich, considering her prep school uniform-and definitely not grappling with such an adult decision. "I'm doing all right, though," Lorelai said quickly, suddenly not wanting to get into a whole discussion. "I mean…it's true I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, but that's half the fun of being here, you know? Just being spontaneous and looking. So you definitely don't have to recommend anything, cause I'm pretty fine right now." She made a display of looking at her invisible watch. "In fact, I probably have to go now, so…"

The woman looked even more amused. Lorelai was startled to feel tears welling up in her eyes. Suddenly, more than anything else in the world, she wished that she were the carefree teenager that the woman thought she was. She would have given up everything to have the life she'd had only a few hours before, even if it meant being forced into the future that her parents wanted for her and not getting to follow her own dreams. If only she had that choice.

She forced another smile and turned away, and eventually, the woman got the message and left her alone. Once she was sure the woman was out of view, Lorelai wiped her eyes. She stayed in the aisle, keeping her tears at bay for a few moments, the feeling of gravity firmly beneath her feet.

* * *

It all started, if Lorelai was to be honest, with the birth of Sookie's and Jackson's third (and truly final) child. Daisy Julia Belleville, who had the same first name as one of Martha's many middle names and the same middle name as the legendary Julia Child's first name, was a small baby, with light brown hair and blue eyes. She had a calmer disposition than either of her siblings and easily slept through the night. Sookie, in spite of her initial misgivings after finding out that she was pregnant, couldn't stop smiling whenever the subject of her youngest came up. The rest of Stars Hallow was charmed, too.

It was when she visited Sookie at the hospital and saw her family crowded around her-Jackson staring lovingly at his wife; Daisy, safe in Sookie's arms; and Davey and Martha, eager to meet their new sister-that the biggest ache began to form within her. She had tried not to think about it before, but now the fact that she was almost forty-years-old hit her hard. Thirty-nine-years-old. Not the fifteen-year-old girl she had been when she'd gotten pregnant, but a mere year away from forty. Her biological clock was ticking down, and if she wanted any chance at a more conventional family, then she would have to act fast. There were no two ways about it. Time was running out.

Now, Lorelai stares up at the ceiling in the guest room Mia set her up in. She knows that Mia is curious about her, and that even if Mia is able to put her curiosity at bay, her husband, Howard, surely isn't, but for once, Lorelai finds that she doesn't care. Running away has never felt more alluring. Even Rory's and her road trip to Harvard did not produce the same feeling of relief. No, instead Lorelai feels just as liberated as she did during her first night at the potting shed, the infant Rory asleep in a crib a few feet away. She has come to Mia sooner this time, and it is Star Hallows she has left, instead of gone to, but that is no matter. She is with Mia now, and there are more similarities than differences.

Burying herself into her blanket, Lorelai realizes that this is the first Friday night she and-and _he _have not spent together. After Rory left, it became a ritual; have dinner with the parents, then go the diner and spend the night in his apartment. She wonders if he's worried about her, if her mother has somehow told him about her vague excuse of why she had to miss dinner, but quickly pushes this aside. It wasn't like they ever observed their standing date. Like so many things between the two of them-_Too many things_, she finds herself thinking-their standing date was unspoken.

After taking a deep breath, Lorelai closes her eyes. For now, she is safe, and she can take on the adult worries tomorrow.

* * *

Long ago-not as long ago as her last memory had been, but long ago, all the same-she and Rory lay in their beds in the potting shed, the darkness of night surrounding them. Although Lorelai felt guilty that she couldn't give Rory everything she deserved, she also knew that Rory did not know how different her home life was. For the nine-year-old, every night was a sleepover, and a part of Lorelai never wanted her to know any differently.

"Mommy," said Rory, the tiny silhouette of her body turning towards her, "do you think you'll ever get married someday? Maybe not to Dad, but to someone?"

Lorelai was startled by the question. Rory's reference to her father was surprise enough, as the subject of Rory's absent father was generally left unspoken between them. But Rory's question itself was a surprise of a whole different level. She had thought that Rory had enjoyed it being just the two of them, but now she wondered whether she had made the right decision in not marrying Christopher. She knew Rory's questions hadn't specified her father specifically, but she also wondered if her daughter missed having a father figure in her life. As hard as Lorelai tried, she had enough trouble being a mother, without adding the pressure of needing to compensate for Rory's lack of father figure to the mix.

"Well, I don't know," she said, trying to turn her answer into a joke. "I'm hardly old enough to have an eight-year-old daughter, so I still think I have plenty of time before I have to worry about becoming an old maid."

"I don't mean that I'm not happy with the two of us," said Rory quickly, seeming to sense her mother's apprehension. "I just think it would be really cool to have a little sister-or brother even, but I think a sister would be better."

"Well," said Lorelai, trying to ignore the fact that her daughter had picked up on the fact that children generally followed marriage, not the other way around, "maybe someday."

Years later, Rory would have the little sister she always wanted in the form of Gigi-the little sister she probably didn't want anymore. She was Christopher's daughter, though, and although that gave Rory and Gigi a claim genetically, Lorelai also knows that this was not the kind of sibling Rory meant. No, Rory meant a sister that would grow up with her, a sibling that would not be too far apart from age from herself…a child that belonged to Lorelai, not to Chris.

When she wakes up the next morning, Lorelai's first thought is not of the current situation she has found herself in or even how her daughter will react to the news. Instead, she finds herself wondering about her next child's gender and whether the two will ever be as close as she and Rory.

* * *

True to Lorelai's suspicions, Mia does not ask what she is doing there the next morning. Howard starts to ask a couple of times, but Mia quickly silences him with a glance. Instead, they make small talk. Mia tells her about married life, and Lorelai updates her on all of the doings of Stars Hallow and the Dragonfly Inn. She speaks with elaborate detail, hoping to prevent Mia from asking anything else about her life.

The subject of the L-word does not come up. Lorelai is not sure if Mia is purposefully making an effort to avoid talking about him or whether she genuinely does not know the two are back together. While Lorelai and Mia make an effort to talk on the phone as much as possible, time inevitably gets away from them. For her part, Lorelai can't remember if she and Mia last talked before Rory's graduation party or after it.

That night, Lorelai checks her phone for the first time since she left. There is a voice mail from her mother, asking about rescheduling Friday night dinner, and also one from Sookie, as well as Babette, who no doubt noticed that the lights were off in her house. She ignores the one from a certain someone without listening to it. Her heart speeds up, however, when she sees a voice mail from Rory. Rory, completely oblivious to her mother's departure, rambles on about the campaign and asks how things are at home. She sounds so happy that Lorelai's heart aches.

She cradles the phone in her hands for a long time after listening to Rory's message. Lying to her friends and even to _him_ is one thing; lying to Rory is quite another. The only time she can remember that she kept something from Rory was after her second engagement, and that was because she and Rory were not speaking to each other at the time. She has never kept such a big secret from Rory when the two weren't fighting.

She wants desperately to call Rory and to tell her the truth, but she knows she can't. For one thing, Mia might overhear, and that is something she doesn't want to deal with right now. And for another, she doesn't want to listen to what Rory will say. She knows her daughter will encourage her to do the right thing, and Lorelai is not in the mood for a lecture right now. She knows what she should do, but for her own sake, she also needs to be here in order to keep her sanity at bay.

So instead she texts Rory a lighthearted message, telling her she's sorry she missed her call, before turning off her phone. Still, it is with a heavy heart that she falls asleep.

* * *

Christopher is here, standing only a few inches behind her. Lorelai instinctively finds herself tensing at the man who caused so much strain between she and Luke. When he speaks, his tenor voice floats into her ear. "What are you doing, Lor?"

"W-what do you mean?" Lorelai asks, too stunned to come up with a better response.

"I mean this." Christopher motions around them, where they are standing on Mia's doorstep. It is around the same time of day as when Lorelai first arrived. His voice becomes louder. "Lor, you're thirty-nine-years-old. I know the reason things didn't work out between the two of us is because you were still in love with him-_are_ still in love with him-so what the hell are you doing now? Even with us being barely sixteen at the time, you at least had the decency to tell me that you were pregnant. I mean, I can sorta understand your reluctance to get married to me then, but you're an adult woman, Lorelai. You're almost forty. This-what you're doing…it isn't you. Sure you have that tendency to run all the time, but you're not like the mother of Luke's other kid. At least, I thought you weren't."

"That isn't what this is about!" Lorelai exclaims, whipping around to glare at him. "And I'm nothing like Anna, so don't you dare make that comparison! It's just that Luke and I were so happy together, so set on taking things slow, that I can't risk going through the pain of last time and messing things up again. I don't want him to marry me because he _has_ to; I want him to marry me because he _wants_ to. Maybe the process of going slow isn't something you can understand with the way things happened in Paris, but trust me, it's important to me."

Christopher's expression changes from anger to hurt. She frowns, unsure what she said, when he startles her by reaching out to touch her arm. "Lor, you can put everything that happened between us last year on me, but we both know that isn't the truth," Christopher says quietly. "_You_ were the one who agreed and who ran to me in the first place…the end of your relationship was your fault, not mine."

Before Lorelai can say anything else, she is startled by another tap on her shoulder. This time, when she turns around, it is Rory, though the Rory before her looks closer to sixteen than newly twenty-three. At the same time, she is wearing an Obama shirt with a picture of the American flag on it, which the sixteen-year-old Rory would have never worn. "Rory, what are you doing here?" Lorelai says, hugging her, not giving her appearance much mind. "I thought you were supposed to be in Detroit or St. Paul or something…"

It is only when Lorelai steps away from the embrace that she notices the distant expression on Rory's face. "I was going to, but Dad told me about this," she says, motioning in Christopher's direction, but when Lorelai follows her daughter's gaze, she finds he has mysteriously disappeared. Looking back at Rory, Lorelai is startled to see the steely harshness in Rory's eyes. "Honestly, Mom…what are you doing?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Lorelai stammered, stunned by the harshness her daughter is showing her.

"I mean this!" Rory motions around at Mia's doorstep and then at Lorelai's suitcase, leaning up against Mia's door. Her blue eyes begin to fill with tears. "It's not that I don't understand why you couldn't settle with Dad after I was born or even that I regret any bit of my childhood, but this is completely different! It's Luke, Mom! Luke! Don't you realize how many times when I was growing up that I wished Luke was my father? When he brought over all those mashed potatoes when I had chicken pox, barely knowing me at the time, or made me birthday coffee cake or even just was there when you were at work and I went to the diner to do homework and just needed someone to talk to? Do you have any idea the envy that ran through me when I found out about April, knowing that as good as Luke was to me, I wasn't his daughter, and I'd never really have that?" Rory blinks as her tears overflow. "I know I seem steady and rational all the time and that I'm good at putting my own feelings about your relationships out of the equation when you're hurting, but I don't think you understand just how much I love Luke, too. And as jealous as I am, if there's the possibility that this kid could grow up with Luke and have him in all the ways I or even April couldn't…well, you just can't do this to him, Mom! I know you're scared, but goddammit, you need to grow up and stop running away!" A tear falls down her cheek. "I know I'm supposed to be on your side about this because you're my mother and Luke's not even my stepfather yet, but I swear, Mom, if you do this, I won't be able to help it. I'll hate you! And I guarantee that someday when the baby knows better, he or she is gonna hate you too."

It is after these words that Lorelai finds herself sitting up in bed, her face drenched in sweat and her heart pounding. "Christopher?" she whispers, then glances at her cell phone, which is still turned off, on her nightstand. "R-Rory?" Before she knows what she is doing, she is turning the cell phone on and checking for new messages. A text from Rory pops up on her screen. _No problem, Mom. I'll talk to ya soon-I miss you! XOXOXOX._

These words are the final catalyst for Lorelai's tears. She finds herself sobbing as her nightmare plays in her mind over and over again. While she knows that this was just a dream, she also knows that if Rory were to find out what she is doing, she would echo the exact same words she spoke in the dream. Rory really does love Luke. And although most of the time, Rory is good about saying exactly what Lorelai wants to hear, there are also times when Rory's own feelings on the matter get in the way-especially when someone else Rory loves is also at stake. She suddenly realizes that only she can decide whether this situation will be like last time; whether she'll finally have the whole package or whether her second child will also grow up without a father. The realization chills her, and more tears follow.

Lorelai has just decided that the best solution will be to cry herself to sleep, when she is startled by the creaking of her bedroom door. She looks up to see Mia coming in, dressed in a white nightgown, the hallway light on behind her. Mia motions to the foot of Lorelai's bed. "May I come in?"

Lorelai nods, still crying, too confused to speak.

"I heard you crying," Mia says once a few moments have passed, after she has closed the door and sat down. "Howard, bless him, slept right through it, but years of raising my kids and having my grandkids in the house has taught me better. The same thing even happened with you, once you were staying in one of the rooms in the Inn before you and Rory moved to the potting shed. I had left my purse in one of the hallways, and I passed your door and heard crying. When I opened the door, I found you snuggled in a little ball with tears in your eyes, Rory sleeping peacefully in a crib a few feet away. Do you remember?"

Lorelai nods, recalling the memory. It was her first night at the inn, and although Rory managed to fall asleep without crying, she was not able to. In a crackly voice, she says, "Yes. I remember."

Mia glances at the cell phone in Lorelai's laps. Softly, she says, "I don't suppose you've talked to him yet, have you?"

Lorelai's head snaps up. "How do you know about that?"

Mia touches her arm. "Lorelai dear, I've always known. I know the two of us didn't talk about your breakup or even your relationship much, but of course I knew what was going on between you two. Why don't you think I invited Luke to my wedding to begin with? He's just as dear to me as you are. I was going to, but then I let something slip about it in a phone call to Rory, and she advised me not to. I think that's when I really realized that you and Luke truly had what Howard and me had, if you were still hurting after all that time."

She puts up her hand when Lorelai opens her mouth to protest. "Now I'm not saying that the two of you weren't civil to each other at the same time or that you would have been able to be in the same room, but what I also knew-and what Rory knew too-is that being at a wedding with Luke would have been too much for you, even if you tried to deny it. You love him, Lorelai. I think you always have. And I knew, even without confirmation, that it was only a matter of time before you two put away your stubbornness and got back together again. Neither of you deserve to be in the pain of being apart."

Lorelai lets this register, realizing that she hadn't told Mia that she and Luke were better, after all. The realization makes her feel incredibly guilty. She also realizes that during the last few years, her mother has known more about her own life than Mia has. It is a strange acknowledgement, and she is not sure whether she likes it or not.

Her voice still weak, Lorelai says, "If you didn't think that Luke and I loved each other until just before your wedding, then you're the only one who thought so. I mean, if you listen to Babette and Miss Patty, we've been in love with each other since the day we met."

"Oh, I wouldn't go as far to say that," Mia says, smiling at her. "I know that Luke has been special in your life for a long time, and though it might have taken you longer to come to terms with your feelings, he's always cared about you a great deal. All I meant is that it wasn't until before my wedding that I really realized how permanent your love for him really is."

Lorelai nods, too tired to fully take this in. Glancing at the calm, kind expression on Mia's face, Lorelai has the sudden suspicion Mia knows even more than she thought. Quietly, she says, "You know why I'm here, don't you…why I can't tell Luke in the first place."

Very slowly, Mia nods. "But how?" Lorelai asks, feeling unnerved that Mia is able to read her so well when so often, she can't even read herself. She thinks of the pregnancy test still stashed in her purse. "I mean, you don't know for sure, do you?"

"No, I don't," says Mia kindly, "but I think I have a good idea." At Lorelai's lingering confusion, she places a hand on her arm.

"Lorelai, I've known you since Rory was a mere infant-since you were just seventeen-years-old-and after knowing you for so long, I've grown to read you very well. I know that there is only one reason you would run away to me without telling anyone, as I know you've done; you're afraid. If someone had done something to you that truly warranted you being scared or something had happened with your mother or even Rory, I know you would have started explaining things the moment I answered the door. But since you haven't so much as given Howard or me a hint about why you're here, I know you're scared for another reason. The reason you're here is because you're scared and confused by your feelings, and in some ways, that fear is even worse than if you'd had a fight with Rory. You're good at communicating when it comes with other people, Lorelai, but sometimes, you have trouble communicating with yourself."

After gaging Lorelai's reaction, Mia continues speaking in a softer tone. "Sookie called me after she had the new baby. I'm afraid I'm not quite as skilled in reading you as I might have pretended to be; I asked about you, and that's when she told me that you and Luke were back together. It was only then that I realized how conflicted you must be feeling, after your best friend had just had her third child in a stable marriage and you still half wishing that Luke's child was also yours." She lifts Lorelai's chin up, so that Lorelai finds herself looking at her. "I know you, Lorelai. After having Rory-though of course that was not a mistake, since we both know that Rory is the best thing that happened to you-there's no way you wouldn't take as many precautions as you could. The only way something like this happened is if you let it-if perhaps by playing with fire, you were subconsciously hoping to find yourself in this very situation, all along."

At the realization that Mia really does know, after all, Lorelai finds her eyes filling with tears again. Even after so many years, she still does not know how she has been so lucky to have been graced with Mia in her life. "You're right; I probably was asking for it," Lorelai says softly, confirming Mia's theory. "I mean, it wasn't that I meant to miss so many pills or even that I expected myself to find myself right here, but I know what Rory's told me about the subconscious and Freud. I'm sure that a part of me was trying to get pregnant with Luke's baby, all along." She speaks very quietly. "I guess that maybe I was afraid of being slow, all along."

"What am I going to do?" she asks suddenly, looking at Mia with wide eyes. "Luke trusted me to take care of this. He trusted me. We both agreed to take things slow, and I messed up everything." She pauses, as the extent of her fear washes over her. "I-I don't want to screw things up again-I don't know how I would deal with that. I _need_ him, Mia. I need him like I've never needed anyone else before, and I don't want things to be like last time. I can't handle that again."

Although she meant that she could not handle another breakup, she realizes from the sympathetic look Mia is giving her that subconsciously, she must have also meant that she can't handle raising another child alone. The realization that she has once again let her subconscious get the better of her leaves her feeling angry and confused. She hates not even feeling in control of her own emotions anymore. Mia, however, does not press. Instead, she takes Lorelai into her arms and holds her until she falls asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Mia and Lorelai do not bring up their late night conversation. Their conversations are free and casual, and even Howard does not eye Lorelai in the same curious way as before. After wondering if Mia told him everything, Lorelai is surprised to realize that she does not care. Following her meltdown the last night-a meltdown that rivals the very famous Meltdown in the Park-Lorelai finds herself too tired to feel anything.

Howard and Mia go out alone that night, muttering something about a prior commitment they cannot back out of, but Lorelai is too engrossed in her own feelings to sense any ulterior motives. Truth be told, she is glad for some time alone. She even finds herself calling Rory and listening to her update on life on the campaign trail. Rory, willfully, has not heard about Lorelai's trip, and Lorelai does not offer any details, either. While a part of her wants to unburden herself by telling Rory everything, Rory's disappointment be damned, she also senses that this would not be the wisest move. A big part of the reason Luke's and her relationship deteriorated before is because of their lack of communication, and while Lorelai knows she has already screwed things up with how she handled this, she also needs to tell Luke before she tells anyone else.

She is just watching _Fried Green Tomatos _on television and snacking on some pizza she ordered in when the doorbell rings. Lorelai frowns, aware that Mia and Howard have a key, but before she has time to react one way or another, the doorbell rings yet again. Fully prepared to find a strange woman Mia's age at the opposite end of the door, Lorelai could not be more surprised when she sees Luke.

Luke, however, does not look surprised to see her in the least. Clad in one of his oldest flannels that she recognizes from when she first met him, he barely pauses for breath after taking her in. "Lorelai, are you all right? I tried to get a flight earlier, but all of the other flights were booked, and then my flight ended up being delayed, but it was all I could do from jumping in the car and driving here as soon as Mia told me you were here. The only reason I didn't was because it would have taken longer to drive, but honestly, with my flight being delayed, I'm not sure anything would have taken longer than staying in that airport for three hours."

Lorelai takes in a breath, realizing that Mia must have called him. Of course she would have; who has she been kidding? She must look as guilty and ashamed as she feels, because as soon as Luke sees her expression, he tenses. "What? What is it, Lorelai? Oh my God, please don't tell me you went back to him. You-you can't do that, Lorelai! You can't just keep deciding that things are wrong between us without letting me know. Last year hurt me too, you know. It can't just be over again, goddammit! I have a say in this, too!"

"Luke," she says quietly, and this is enough to bring Luke back to earth. He looks at her for a few moments, before hanging his head.

"You're right," he says quietly. "I-I shouldn't just jump to conclusions like that. I trust you. You just have to understand, Lorelai"-and all of a sudden, his soft blue eyes are looking into hers, pleading-"you really scared me just now. Just please, tell me right now, because I've been waiting since Mia called me for almost a day now and longer if you count all the time you haven't returned my calls, and I can't stand worrying any longer."

She feels tears prickling in her eyes. Luke looks at her, surprised, as a few tears run down her cheeks. Instinctively, he reaches out to embrace her, but she steps away. "I'm not sure you should trust me," she says sadly. "I mean, it was nothing like that, and I really do want to be with you, but I left everything get all messed up, and-"

"Lorelai." This time, it is his words that bring her back to earth, and Lorelai sighs. Taking a deep breath, she forces herself to go ahead and say it.

"I'm pregnant."

Before she has a chance to see Luke's expression, Lorelai plunges into Luke's chest. She feels Luke's arms on his back, no doubt startled, but it is easier for Lorelai to not look at his face. She speaks before he has a chance to.

"I'm so sorry, Luke. God, I'm so, so sorry. I know you should have been the first person who knew, and if it makes you feel better, I didn't even tell Mia; she just guessed why I was here, and Rory doesn't know anything either, so technically you're the first person I told. I was just so set on taking things slow with you, but then, after Daisy was born, I got so confused, and I know you trusted me to take care of the protection, but it was weird, because I went off of it a little after Christopher, and my last birthday really wigged me out…I mean, I know I'm not forty yet, but I almost am, and this really doesn't have to change anything between us, except it will, but-"

"Lorelai," Luke says again, and when she looks up, she is surprised at the lack of resentment on his face. She expected him to be angry, but instead, the Luke before her is completely calm. Lifting her chin up so she is looking at him, Luke says, "We don't have to make any decisions tonight. It's okay."

Suddenly, he grasps her harder, and the tone in his voice becomes harsher. "Are you sure? That you are pregnant, I mean? Because, God, Lorelai, I don't think I could deal with that. Not speaking to you for a couple of days, then coming here without knowing why you're here…I don't think I'd be able to deal with getting my hopes up for nothing."

"I'm sure," she says softly. She is silent for a minute, taking in the way Luke's shoulders fall in relief.

"Well, good."

"Luke, I don't understand," she says, trying to search his face for any resemblance of anger. They are still standing outside Mia's doorstep, in the cool California night air. It isn't as dark as it would be back in Stars Hallow, but the night is still pretty dark. "Look at me, I screwed everything up. You trusted me, and not only did I betray that, but I took off running without as much as telling you. If it had been the other way around, I have been furious. So, how can you be saying that you're actually-happy about this?"

Luke sighs, and an ironic grin appears on his face. "I'm not saying that I'm happy with how you handled it or even that I'm not hurt or as scared as hell, maybe, but even before April, this was what I wanted. Hell, even before you saw me standing here, this was what I wanted-with you, I mean, even if I didn't want to admit it back then. Not the jam hands, but…this. Having someone I love carrying my baby, and getting to raise him or her together."

"You still want kids even though you have April?" Lorelai says, not even aware that she was concerned before she says it. Luke sighs again, and from the exhaustion on his face, she knows that they still have a long way to go before they can completely trust each other again.

"Lorelai, I love you," Luke says. "Maybe I was an ass about showing it last year, and it's true no kid will ever replace how I feel about April, but you have Rory; you know that. I didn't have the full experience last time, and I'm just glad I'm gonna have a second chance. I know that after this baby's born, I'm going to love him or her just as much as I love April and Rory and you."

Before she can allow herself to completely take solace in this moment and the realization of how much Luke really does love her daughter if he's willing to put her in the same sentence with his own, she has own more question. "So what do we do now?" she says softly. "Do we just jump the ship and take things back to where they were last time-or do we wait?" She is still a little uncertain about the first possibility, because as much as she wants to eventually marry Luke, she also doesn't want it to just be for the baby's sake.

Luke, however, seems to know exactly what she needs to hear. "We take things one step at a time," he says easily, and when she steps into his arms, she feels more at peace than she has in a long, long time.

As she melts in his arms, Lorelai finds herself thinking about last time with Rory and how difficult it all was to manage. Still, this time she feels content. Although she does not yet know how things will turn out, she knows everything with be okay, because she has Luke here to share things with. The rest will come.


	2. Lorelai & Anna 1

Recipe for reading this chapter if you have read the previous story, previously called "The End of the Circle," before this one: refer back to that one and read my new Author's Note, which will explain how I have compiled all of the oneshots, that were previously going to be published separately, into one story. Note the insanity of my brain and my awareness that I'm not quite sure what this is and enjoy. This chapter got so long that I had to split it into two parts (seriously, this story is gonna be GINORMOUS!). For fellow JJ fans (hopefully all of you!), there is some nice fluff at the end of the second part. :)

As previously stated, I'm not sure if Mia still lives in California if she got married in North Carolina (my apologies if this was explained in GG), but for the purpose of this fic, we'll pretend that she does. :)

P.S. In spite of the chapter title, and the significance of this fic showing some of Anna's feelings, this does not go into Anna's POV. I'm not overly fond of her myself (okay, I'm a little more than "not overly fond of her") and would have trouble writing primarily in her POV.

* * *

Lorelai & Anna (Part 1)

(with a taste of Luke, April, and Rory for good measure)

_"And the thing is-both of my kids-they're not mistakes! One of them has just graduated from one of the most respected colleges out there and is following what might possibly become the country's first black president, and as for the other-well, he's gonna have the best goddamn father in the whole world. So, you just can't turn this against us! You can't!"_

_

* * *

_

To onlookers, the scene is perfect. A couple sits next to each other while waiting for their flight, both with dark shadows under their eyes. The woman's head is resting on the man's shoulder, her eyes closed and a content little smile playing on her face. The man wears the exact same grin. He bends down to kiss her on top of her head, and she opens her eyes and grins back at him. They both smile at each other for a few minutes, completely immune to the world around them.

The scene is sappy, maybe. But after eight years of waiting for each other, a year apart, and Lorelai's impromptu trip to California, the scene is also exactly what they need.

After a few minutes of blissful silence, Luke squeezes her hand. "You should really call her," he says seriously. "I mean, if you want her to know before April."

"I know," Lorelai says, sighing, aware of how hurt Rory will be if she waits too much longer. "I'm just not used to having important conversations like this on the phone. Plus, when I talked to her at Mia's, I didn't say anything to suggest I wasn't in Stars Hallow. I don't want her to be mad at me."

"She won't be," Luke says, handing Lorelai her cell phone. "Just try her, Lorelai. I promise she'll respond better than you think."

Sighing, Lorelai presses number two on her speed dial and listens to the phone ring. That is another thing, she realizes. While always before, she changed her voice mail number so that she could make Rory number one on her speed dial, when she got her new phone in July, she didn't. She claimed it was because of laziness, but the truth is, she didn't want to choose between Rory and Luke. It was only when Luke pointed out that reaching him by phone was not as necessary, seeing as he actually lived in Stars Hallow Rory, that she consented and made Luke three and Rory two.

She is filled with both relief and terror when Rory answers the phone. "Mom?" she says. "You got me just in time! My last meeting just ended, and I was going to have a break before ordering in some pizza and settling in front of my computer screen to get some work done. I'm just glad we were in Minneapolis before coming here to St. Paul, cause I'm seriously getting sick of the whole time zone changing thing. Speaking of that, how is it at six 'o clock in Stars Hallow? What grand events of the future do you know from being an hour ahead of me?"

Lorelai takes in a breath, but she figures that now is as good a time as any. "Actually, I would say you know the future, not me, considering that right now I'm in California, where it's two hours behind you."

She can almost hear Rory catching her breath from the other line. "You're in California?" Rory says finally. "Did I know this?"

"Well, no," Lorelai admits. "It was kind of an impromptu trip, and I didn't want anyone to know for a while. I went alone, you know. Well, that is, I was alone until Luke came and surprised me. We're actually both in the airport right now." She holds her phone away from her ear. "Say hello to Rory, Luke."

"Hey Rory," Luke says. Ordinarily, Luke would have disparaged her for trying to stall, but knowing how difficult this is for her, he has no problem acting as buffer between them.

"Uh, hi Luke," says Rory. She takes a few seconds before speaking after Lorelai places the phone back to her ear. "So is there any particular reason Luke's with you? No offense, but I'm having trouble imagining Luke liking the whole beaches/surfing scene."

"Actually, I'll let you know that Luke looks very hot in a bathing suit," Lorelai says defensively. "I keep telling him he should think rethink his whole flannel look, cause sexy bathing suit Luke is just too much to resist." She waggles her eyebrows at Luke, who is frowning. When Rory does not say anything, she takes a deep breath. "Actually, I was, uh, visiting Mia."

There is a pause. Lorelai's heart is racing, and she can only guess what Rory is thinking. "Mom?" says Rory finally. "I promise I won't get mad, but, uh, what were you doing with Mia? Cause it sure sounds to me like you were running from something, and I can't for the life of me remember you mentioning anything that might have warranted you running away."

Lorelai sighs, knowing she can't fight it any longer. "Are you sitting down, kid? Cause this is sort of news is too big for me to break over the phone."

"Everything's all right with you and Luke, isn't it? I mean, I know you can't really tell me, since he's sitting right next you, but nothing happened with April, did it?"

"Everything's fine," says Lorelai firmly, giving Luke's hand a squeeze with her free hand. "Well, not completely fine, seeing as my hormones are all out of whack, and I got my first bout of nausea last night, which I must have blocked out from last time, but besides that, everything's great between us."

It takes a good fifteen seconds for Rory to respond. "Mom? Can you say that again, cause I'm pretty sure I didn't hear right."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure you did hear right," says Lorelai. When Rory does not say anything else, she speaks softer. "You're right, kiddo. I'm pregnant."

"But-but-how did this happen?" says Rory. "You and Luke were going to take things slow, and I thought-"

"Oh, Rory, I thought I raised you better than this!" says Lorelai in mock despair. "Oh, well, since you obviously didn't remember the first time, I suppose I might as well give you the talk again. When a man and woman love each other very, very much-"

Rory cuts her off before she can go on further. "Mom, as I don't think I need to remind you, I've already experienced that with two boyfriends already," she says. "Now what I meant to ask was _why_. Did it happen like the apple scare last time or was it different?"

"I guess it was sorta my fault this time," Lorelai says, giving Luke's hand another squeeze. Though he rolled his eyes at her last statement, but he is now looking at her with more concern. "It was my job to take care of the, you know, pill, and all of that stuff about the subconscious must be true, because after Sookie had Daisy, and even just in those final months before she had Daisy, everything in my mind went out of whack. I didn't even realize I'd probably purposefully missed so many pills until after it happened. We're working it through, though, and though we haven't made any decisions about our future yet, we're both on the same page about our excitement, so I think everything else is gonna work out."

Rory takes another moment to take this in. "Uh, Mom? Again, I'm not interrogating you, but did you tell Luke before you went to Mia? Because somehow, you telling Luke, then running off to California if he's happy about this just doesn't add quite add up."

"No, sweets," Lorelai says softly. "I definitely regret it now, and like I said, things are working out now, but no, I went to Mia by myself. I was lucky enough that Mia understood completely and that she even called Luke to come for me, but I definitely don't recommend doing anything like that again."

She is startled by the fragile tone in Rory's voice when she next speaks. "Well, if you needed someone to talk to, how come you didn't just call me? I know I have work, but I would have made time for you; you know that."

Lorelai feels her eyes prickling with tears. Luke, who has no doubt guessed what is going on from her end of the conversation, puts his arm on her shoulder. She feels herself relaxing, just a little bit. "Rory, you know you were the first person after Luke that I thought of when I saw the pink lines," she says. "You're my best friend, and nothing will change that. But right this once, I needed a mother, not a daughter. If it makes you feel better, Mia guessed why I was there, so you're the first person that I told, after Luke."

"But why didn't you tell me when we talked on the phone earlier?" Rory asks. "I wouldn't have judged you. I promise I wouldn't."

Lorelai feels herself sighing, unsure how to explain this. Though she knows Rory is an adult, she still feels like she is explaining things to her little girl. "Rory, the reason I didn't tell you is because I needed to tell Luke first," she says softly. "Believe me, I wanted to, but Luke and I are in a relationship together, and if there's anything I learned about how things got screwed up last time is that we needed to communicate more."

When Rory answers, her voice is soft and serious. "Things are really changing between us, aren't they?" she says finally. "I mean, if we're not even in a fight, and the first person you turn to is Luke. This isn't even the first time, you know. When Grandma insisted you bring him to that one Friday night dinner, it wasn't until the Saturday after that you finally told me."

"Oh, Rory," Lorelai says softly. Rory's response comes quickly.

"Don't be sad," she says. "One of the things I always worried about happening is that you'd be alone when I left home, so I can't tell you how relieved I was when you and Luke worked things out. It's just weird, isn't it? I have Obama and the campaign, and you have Luke and this…life I don't know anything about. It just makes me a little sad that things are changing between us, that's all." She laughs a little. "I guess I'm just not sure I like being that far apart."

"Rory, no matter what happens with Luke and this baby, I will always love you," Lorelai says quietly. "Wait, screw that, 'I will always love you' makes me remember my karaoke night, but you know what I mean. Just because things are changing for me doesn't mean that you can't come to me with your problems or that you aren't my best friend anymore. I promise I'll try to talk you earlier about things that happen in my life, too. I guess I'm not so good at this phone thing, either."

"Don't think I'm not happy, Mom," Rory says. "Give Luke a huge hug for me and congratulate yourself, too. What I'm trying to say is that I guess I never realized things would be changing so quickly. A part of me thought that things in Stars Hallow would just keep on being the same when I was gone, and now it's like I'll come back to a Stars Hollow I even didn't know. I know that's stupid," she says quickly, "but for the most part, that was true during Yale, and…I'm happy Luke's there to shift things for you, but I'm also not used to it."

Lorelai smiles at the way Luke's arm is wrapped around her shoulders. He squeezes her tighter, looking content. "Yeah," she says. "Sometimes I'm not too used to it, either."

"So, what time is your flight back, anyway?" Rory asks, changing the subject. "Are you looking forward to being back in Stars Hallow?"

Lorelai grins, realizing another fact she neglected to tell her daughter. "Actually, we're not going back to Stars Hallow right away. First, we're making a stop in New Mexico."

This time, Rory's mind quickly registers this new information. "New Mexico?" she asks. "You mean, to see April? Mom, are you sure that's not too soon-not with April necessarily, but with Anna? The last I heard, she wasn't very happy to learn that you were back together again, was she?"

"Luke and I talked about that before, and we agreed that this was the best way to handle things," Lorelai says. "Legally, she can't do anything because Luke has partial custody, and given the proximity of New Mexico to California, we figured it would be best to tell her in person. Knowing Anna, she'll give us some whole spiel on how our impromptu visit is going to mess up April's schedule or something, but we figured that at least this way, it doesn't look like we're hiding anything. It's better that she hears it from us than April."

"So you're going with Luke?" Rory asks, sensing the significance of this. "He really doesn't mind that you're going to be there, too?"

Lorelai smiles at Luke, who smiles back. Her heart swells with love for this wonderful man in her life. _I'm so lucky_, she thinks.

"Luke knows that I'm going to give him and April as much space as they need, but that April is important in my life, too. We might still have a ways to go before we completely forget last year, but we're definitely working through it."

The speaker goes off, announcing that the next flight is about to board. "That's me, kid," Lorelai says. "I'd better go. We only had about forty-five minutes to kill before our flight started boarding, and I guess that time is up now. I promise I'll call you when we get to New Mexico-as long as it's not too late in your time zone, that is. Though seeing as New Mexico and Minnesota are only an hour apart, I don't know why it would be."

"Bye, Mom," says Rory. "Make sure to tell April hi for me and to give a pat to Lorelai the fourth."

Lorelai's heart flutters, well aware that this comment means more than Rory has let on. In her own joking, Gilmore way, Rory has given her approval about the baby. "Thanks, kiddo," she says. "I'm sure April will be glad to hear from you."

"Well?" Luke asks, as soon as Lorelai puts down the phone. "Is Rory okay? Was it as bad as you thought?"

"She still has a ways to go, but she's working through it," Lorelai says, repeating the same words she told Rory about she and Luke. "She's definitely going to be okay."

Luke squeezes her shoulder before they pick up their suitcases and join the boarding line.

* * *

When the plane lands, Lorelai finds herself getting more and more worked up. She has not seen Anna since after the infamous birthday party, and she already knows that Anna does not approve of Luke's and her reconciliation. To Anna, Luke and Lorelai are no more than an on-and-off-again couple, no better than Ross and Rachel, whose goal is uproot April's life. As angry as this makes her, another part of Lorelai understands all too well what it is like to be a single mother. This is what makes her the most confused.

It is past seven by the time they make their way into a cab, after finding their luggage. In spite of her anxiety, Lorelai finds herself awed by the desert sights around her. Mountains and cacti replace the Connecticut sights she is so used to. After a lifetime of living in a world of East Coast green, it is strange to see so much brown around her.

Luke, who visited April for the first time in New Mexico a month before, has no trouble directing the cab driver to the Nardini's home, but Lorelai finds herself more uncertain. She wonders if it really was such a good idea to force themselves on Anna and April, after all. True, the trip was unexpected, and it is not their fault that neither Anna nor April has called Luke back, but knowing Anna, she will find some way to turn things against them. Never mind the fact that Lorelai would have been thrilled if Christopher had applied for partial custody or even shown up in Stars Hallow before Rory was sixteen; _she's_ not the one who hid her child's existence for twelve years.

Anna and April's home turns out to be a small house, located in a middle class neighborhood, with the same tan color and flat roof as the other houses on the street. Lorelai finds herself thinking about the Crap Shack and the days when she and Rory lived there by themselves. The thought makes her heart clench as she remembers Rory's and her conversation from earlier. Rory is right; so much has changed between them. As excited as she is for the changes in her life, she is not sure her daughter feels the same way.

Her uncharacteristic quietness must have alerted Luke to her nervousness, because he gives her hand a squeeze after paying the taxi driver. With baited breath, they knock on the front door. Through the window, a brown-haired figure races to the door.

"Dad? Dad!"

Both are relieved when April Nardini emerges.

Between Luke and April's embrace, Lorelai manages to get a brief look at the girl in question. April does not look very different from the last time Lorelai saw her, in August; she has hardly grown, and she still wears her hair straight. The same pair of glasses that Lorelai first saw around the Hay Bale maze rests on her nose. Hanging from her ears are two dream catcher earrings, and her shirt advertises her school's swim team. Lorelai feels herself smiling when April withdraws from Luke and throws her arms around Lorelai.

"This is one of those days I really wish I hadn't lost my cell phone," April says, after she and Lorelai end their embrace. She leads Luke and Lorelai into her house, which has a vintage style so different from the Mexican feel of the house's exterior. "I accidentally dropped it into my friend Stacey's swim bag yesterday, and she was sick today and didn't realize she had it till after I came home from school. She's the one who saw your message about coming here. Ordinarily, I would have been mad at her for snooping, but considering what your message contained, I think I can forgive her. My mom's not here, in case you were wondering," she adds, seeing Luke and Lorelai looking around. "She's visiting Grandma."

"Your mom didn't get my message either?" Luke asks, sitting down on a black couch in April's living room. Although they were able to induce as much from the fact that they have not yet heard back from Anna, given her passive aggressive nature, anything is possible.

April shrugs. "I'm not sure, actually. She's been at work and then with Grandma all day, so I haven't actually seen her yet. She did leave a message on me from the house phone telling me to call her, but she didn't pick up when I called. Don't worry," she adds, grinning, as Luke raises his eyebrows. "I'm not normally a latch key kid or anything. Mom just makes an effort to go to Grandma's to eat at least once a week, and since I have a biology test tomorrow, I decided to stay home. Not that I'm not going to ace it, because Honors Biology is still really, really easy, but I still wanted to be prepared.

"So, you haven't told me what you're doing here!" says April, as Luke and Lorelai exchange glances, both wondering if Anna did get their message and was calling April to talk about it. "I thought I was going to take a long weekend to visit you next month."

"Nothing much," says Luke, after another glance. "We were just, uh, taking a trip to California to visit a friend there-her name is Mia, and she's been like a mother to both of us-and while we were checking our bags in at the airport on our way back, Lorelai found out there was a cheap flight to New Mexico and convinced me to be spontaneous. I hope you're not too, uh, messed up by us or anything."

"Messed up?" says April. "Of course not! I'm really glad to see you-both of you, I mean," she remembers to add. "Aside from a swim meet tomorrow and my biology test, I've got nothing going on. We just need to convince Mom that I can still visit you next month. I mean, as long as you're okay with it too, but I'm in need of some serious Stars Hollow fix." After offering them a stick of gum, which they both refuse, she sticks one in her mouth. "How's Kirk? Have he and Lulu gotten engaged yet? I mean, they've been dating for, like, four years, right? That's forever!"

Before they can get into a whole discussion about the dating rituals of Kirk and Lulu-an awkward subject, considering Luke and she have not yet discussed the possibility of marriage in their own future-Luke makes April promise to call her mother again. This time, Anna answers, and after a few minutes of April explaining about her dad and Lorelai's impromptu visit, April hands the phone to Luke. With a sigh, Luke goes into the other room, his face pinched from what is no doubt an awkward conversation with Anna. An oblivious April turns to Lorelai.

"I'm glad you convinced Dad to be spontaneous," she says, her eyes sincere behind her glasses. "So, this trip to California must have been really spontaneous too, huh? Dad didn't mention it to me when he talked to me a few days ago."

"I guess you could say that," Lorelai hedges, not ready to face the subject. Nodding, April chews her gum.

"Dad could definitely stand to be more spontaneous," she says. "I mean, I'm not the most spontaneous person by a long shot, so I guess I shouldn't be talking, but I think I'm still more spontaneous than he is. It's good he has you, though, cause that way you guys can balance yourselves out and so forth."

Though Luke returns on the scene a few minutes later, he is unable to provide much information about his phone call with April is in the room. He does explain when April goes to the bathroom that Anna didn't call him back because she didn't hear the part of the message where he said he was visiting that day (something Lorelai doubts, but doesn't press) and didn't realize they were actually visiting that day. He also told Anna that he and Lorelai had something to talk to her about (both decided that it would be best if they told Anna first), but her tone of voice had stated quite clearly how she felt about that.

Anna finally comes home about a half hour after April's call, looking a great deal more bedraggled than the day Lorelai last saw her. In spite of her feelings about Anna, Lorelai has to feel sorry for her. True, she has no idea what Anna's mother is like, but she could not imagine living in such close proximity to Emily Gilmore. Anna gives them a short survey before speaking.

"Luke, Lorelai, I'm sorry that the house isn't more presentable, but we weren't expecting guests, and well, April has never been the one to keep things clean." She gives her a daughter a look, and April rolls her eyes. "Luke didn't mention whether his plan was to stay here or whether he was going to a hotel like last time, but if you'd rather stay here, you can stay in our guest room. It's pretty small, but then again, we're not used to have two people stay there."

Luke and Lorelai exchange glances. They were so focused on telling Anna that they didn't properly discuss where they were going to stay. "Uh, I guess here," says Luke, then glances at Lorelai. "I mean, if that's okay with you."

"It's fine," says Lorelai, forcing a smile for Anna. "I'm so tired after the flight anyway that I'm not in the mood to go out, get another taxi, and find a hotel. Here would be perfect."

Anna smiles back, but her expression is guarded. "Well, I'm glad."

"Lorelai was trying to get Dad to be more spontaneous by coming here," April says, no doubt sensing the tension in the room. "I think it's really great. I was just thinking the other day about how routine my life has become and how experiments require a change in variables, so I'm glad I have inspiration to liven things up a bit."

"April, when you were three, you refused to go to bed unless you'd taken a bath, had a story read to you, taken a last sip of water, and then had all of your stuffed animals tucked in around you in exactly the right order," says Anna, suppressing a laugh. "You've always liked routines."

"Hmm, sounds like a chip off the old block here," says Lorelai, grinning at Luke. Realizing that reminding Anna of a trait Luke and April share might not be the best idea, she attempts to backpedal. "They're not the only ones, though. I mean, you wouldn't believe how set Rory was on getting in her half hour of reading before she fell asleep. Before her first sleepover, I had to spend about an hour convincing her that during sleepovers, you're not supposed to fall asleep at all, and if you do, it's while telling a ghost story or sharing secrets, not ignoring your best friend to read. Luckily, she picked up in time, but even now, she refuses to go anywhere without a book."

This time, when Anna smiles again, it is more genuine. "Actually, that sounds pretty familiar.

"April, why don't you go finish studying for that biology test?" Anna says, causing the girl to frown. "I know, I know, you not getting an A on a science test is about as likely as a meteor hitting the earth and killing us all, but I don't want you getting cocky just because it's a subject you're good at."

Muttering under her breath about how stupid her class was for not getting the concepts sooner, April leaves the room. Lorelai and Luke tense, realizing that they are now alone with Anna.

"You know, I'm not as dense as you might think," says Anna after a few moments, sitting down in a chair opposite from the couch Luke and Lorelai are sitting on. "I know the only reason both of you would come on such short notice is because you have something to share with us-something that you apparently need to run by me first. As far as I know, California isn't the most popular place for elopement, and since April's been following Rory's campaign trail, and I know that Lorelai wouldn't do something like that without Rory there, I'm betting that this is about an engagement or pregnancy. I don't see a ring, so I'm guessing it's the latter."

Their stunned faces must give Anna affirmation, because she nods. "Well, congratulations. I have to say, though, Luke, that I'm a little concerned. April's been so set on your phone calls and visits, and I hope things won't change just because you have a new baby to start over with."

Lorelai stares at Anna, unable to fathom what she is hearing. Anna is still looking at Luke, completely oblivious to the insensitivity of her comment. "Are you serious?" Lorelai sputters. "Don't you realize that the only reason Luke wasn't there for April from the very beginning is because you didn't have the decency to tell him about her? I mean, God, how well did you know Luke, anyway? I get that he wasn't so pro-kid then, and that you weren't even sure if he was the father or whatever, but he's always been a good person. He would have been there for his kid, no matter how many diapers or jam hands he had to deal with."

Luke puts his hand on her arm. Ignoring his attempt to shush her, Lorelai looks at Anna. The other woman is staring at her with a combination of surprise and anger. Still inflamed, Lorelai rambles onwards.

"It's enough that you even have the nerve to think that if our engagement was the reason we were here, we were going to run by our engagement with you before telling April-or probably anyone else for that matter. I mean, I know you don't see this, and maybe our past hasn't been the greatest of evidence, but Luke and I are pretty damn permanent. Did you know that it took eight years for Luke to have the courage to ask me out, and that even before that, he was the most consistent, caring guy in my life? Even after we broke up, he went to the hospital for my dad-not because he had any ulterior motive, but because that's the kind of person he is! Like I said in my character reference, when Luke Danes is in your life, he is in your life forever, and that is how things are gonna be for the two of us. Sorry to burst your bubble, but we're not going to break up any time soon. We're staying together, goddammit!

"And maybe it's not completely your fault that you don't get that, because even now, I'm not so disillusioned that I don't think Luke could have handled April and me a lot differently. He probably didn't even mention he was engaged to me, and though, yeah, that's also just Luke, I can see why you were confused when I popped out of thin air, wanting to get to know April after giving no evidence that I was permanent. But, see, that's another thing. That's another reason why you have absolutely no excuse to accuse Luke of not being there for his kid! Do you have any idea what Rory's dad was like at April's age? If it were between Rory and a girlfriend, he'd go to the girlfriend, no question! I would have been ecstatic if Christopher had flown out even a couple of times a _year_ to see Rory, and visiting your kid is nowhere near applying for partial custody of a kid, after only knowing her for a year at the time! I mean, maybe you want to keep April to yourself, but you can't do that. Look, I'm a single mom too; I get it! Of course there have been times where I've wanted to be selfish and to keep Rory all to myself. But the thing is, when the father has interest-and when the father is such a great guy like Luke Danes-you don't get to make decisions like that.

"And you also don't get to take this away from me! Do you have any idea how many nights I've stared up at my ceiling, dreaming what it would be like to have Luke's kid? No? Well, guess what, I don't know either! I've lost track; that's why! You don't have the right to turn this into something irresponsible choice, because hey, uh, look at April, it's not like you're innocent, either! I'm sure you've had your own fair share of D.A.R. ladies, muttering about the mistake you made, who just so happens to be the best thing that ever happened to you. And the thing is-both of my kids-they're not mistakes! One of them has just graduated from one of the most respected colleges out there and is following what might possibly become the country's first black president, and as for the other-well, he's gonna have the best goddamn father in the whole world. So, you just can't turn this against us! You can't!"

A loud silence pounds throughout the room. Luke's arm is frozen around her, his breaths tight and quick. Anna is staring, her expression unreadable. Still, it is only when Lorelai notices April, who is lingering at the doorway, that the full extent of what she said hits her. She forces herself to speak. "Oh my God, I-that was so far out of line; Anna, April, please forgive me-I'll just get myself out of here, so you can talk it…I promise, I won't screw things up any more than I already have…"

She rushes out of the room, trying to ignore the way the others are staring at her. Before she is even aware of what she is doing, she finds herself clutching her stomach protectively. Despite the horribleness of her breakdown, Lorelai finds a small smile gracing her face. On account of being so preoccupied about telling Luke and worrying about what everyone else would say, she was never fully able to digest that her dream is coming true. In less than a year, there will be a little Luke/Lorelai in the world, and that realization makes Lorelai happier than she has felt in a long time.


	3. Lorelai & Anna 2

Refer to previous Author's Notes if confused.

* * *

Lorelai & Anna (Part 2)

(with a taste of Luke, April, and Rory for good measure)

_"And the thing is-both of my kids-they're not mistakes! One of them has just graduated from one of the most respected colleges out there and is following what might possibly become the country's first black president, and as for the other-well, he's gonna have the best goddamn father in the whole world. So, you just can't turn this against us! You can't!"_

* * *

For some completely unexplainable reason, as Luke watches Lorelai rush off, what comes to his mind is a conversation he and April had last summer about gravity and force.

"You know, according to Newton's first law of gravity, if there wasn't air resistance or another outside force, the Frisbee would probably keep going," April said, during a game of Frisbee. She, Luke, and Lorelai had just finished having a picnic, but Lorelai had opted to call Rory instead of participating in the game of Frisbee. When Luke looked at her, she quoted, "'A body at rest remains at rest, and one moving in a straight line maintains a constant speed and same direction unless it is deflected by a force.' In this situation, you're the outside force that keeps the Frisbee from continuing to go in a straight line, though of course the air resistance stops it, too." She smiled. "Biology is definitely my strong point and then Chemistry, but I know a little Physics too."

Now, Luke finds himself comparing Lorelai's track of live to a moving object's. She certainly was moving in a straight path until Anna came in and changed everything, leaving Lorelai frozen. He's not surprised that seeing Anna again caused Lorelai to finally snap. While he was not able to face it at the time it was happening, he now knows very well just how much Anna's careless comment damaged Lorelai's self esteem. The truth is, this has been coming for a long time.

Before Luke can decide whether to rush after Lorelai or to placate Anna, April speaks from near the doorway. Looking at her mother, she says, "Is it true you didn't want me to get to know Lorelai because you thought she wasn't permanent?"

April does not appear hurt by this realization; instead, she merely appears curious. Luke, however, knows that aside from moments of adolescent outbursts, April is not always forthcoming with her feelings, and judging by the look on Anna's face, she is thinking the same thing. In a soft voice, Anna says, "Would you be angry if that was true?"

April shrugs, and a glimmer of an unreadable emotion crosses her face. "Well, if it was, then that'd be pretty stupid, because I'd have been able to handle it. I mean, even after my birthday party, I still didn't have any problem when I ran into Lorelai or anything." She looks at her mother. "Mostly, I'd be mad because if it broke up Dad and Lorelai. Just because you haven't had any real luck in relationships doesn't mean Dad's the same way."

Anna's face pinches as April leaves the room. "April! April, come back here!" The only response is a door in a nearby room closing. Anna sighs. Barely glancing at Luke, she mutters, "I guess I'd better go after her."

"No; let me." When Anna frowns at him, he says, "I just mean, I still haven't had a chance to talk to her about the baby, and, well, maybe it will help that I'm not the one she's mad at." He laughs a little. "At least, I don't think she's mad at me."

"What about Lorelai?"

"Lorelai will be fine," Luke says, though inside, he wonders if this is true. Is he wrong for putting April over his girlfriend, in the same way he did before? Pushing this aside, he says, "Either way, I need to talk to my daughter."

Anna purses her lips at the words "my daughter," but does not protest.

When he enters April's room, Luke finds April curled up with a biology textbook on the foot of her bed. April's bed set and walls are purple, and whereas Rory's room was decorated with Harvard (and eventually Yale) paraphernalia, April has several posters of animals, with facts on the species underneath them, and another poster of the periodic table. A few pictures with her old friends sit on top of her dresser. Upon glancing at April, he realizes she is holding a picture. Seeing that he is looking at it, she tilts the picture frame towards him to reveal a shot that Lorelai took of April and Luke eating, during their picnic. He finds himself smiling at the memory.

"I was just thinking about that earlier too," Luke says. "You got Newton's whole gravity law really engraved in my brain."

April shrugs. "It's one of the easier ones to remember."

She glances back at the picture, and Luke tentatively places a hand on her shoulder. She looks up, surprised by the physical contact, but quickly looks down when she sees him observing her. "April, I don't want you blaming your mom for what happened to Lorelai and me. There were a lot of factors-or what do you call them, variables-that went into our breaking up, and we're okay now. In fact, it was probably good that it happened, cause it brought all of our issues to the issue, and otherwise, we'd never have worked past them."

When she looks up at him again, her anger is clear. "I just don't understand why she never told me that!" April says. "I mean, here she was innocently telling me that you guys had broken up, and I was wondering if maybe _I'd_ done something, and then I find out it was all her! I mean, yeah, it was kinda a relief, even though I knew Lorelai liked me after last summer, but still. I could have avoiding all that worrying for nothing."

He frowns at her. "You thought the breakup was our fault?"

April shrugs. "Unexpected kid comes into the equation when couple is engaged, when their next kid is supposed to be one that was both of theirs, not some almost grown twelve-year-old doing her science experiment. It's not such a hard concept to figure out."

Luke almost hits himself, wondering why he never realized April might be blaming herself before. True, April might not always be forthcoming about her feelings, but he should have guessed since she only saw Lorelai twice during their engagement, that she might feel responsible. "April, I promise, you had nothing to do that. I was the one who screwed up. It had nothing to do with you."

"Yeah, well, if it was some of that, then you're going to have your own kid together, so I guess it doesn't matter anymore," April says, matter-of-factly. She holds up a bag of trail mix that was sitting on her bed. "Do you want any? You can always give the M&M's to Lorelai and eat just the peanuts and raisins. I bet you're both hungry after your flight."

Luke startles April by pulling her into a hug. She stiffens a little, surprised by the uncharacteristic Luke gesture, but pats him back. "I guess that was a good suggestion, then," she says, the smallest hint of a smile on her face.

"April, forgive me if all this sounds really corny, but there were only two people who ever walked through my diner that turned my life around in the long run. One of them was Lorelai, and the other was you. Now luckily, you're not a coffee maniac, obsessive rambler, but-" He looks at April and shrugs. "What I mean to say is that even though the situation was a little more atypical, I've never once for a single instant regretted you coming into my life. Maybe Lorelai did have to get used to it, but that's because of how I handled it, not you. I guess your mom isn't all to blame, cause even if she hadn't told Lorelai that she didn't want you around her till we were married, I would have still kept the two of you apart."

April frowns. "Kept us apart? Why?"

As Luke sighs, it occurs to him that this was a conversation the two of them should have had a long time ago. He guessed a couple of times over the summer that April was wondering about their breakup, but Luke hadn't wanted to bring it up. Now, he regrets his decision.

"I wanted to prove I could be a father to you without Lorelai getting in the way," he says, deciding to be honest. "I guess I was also so set on getting to know you that I kinda ignored Lorelai in the process."

"You didn't have to push Lorelai away just cause you wanted to get to know me better," says April, looking surprised. "I mean, she was your fianceé. I wouldn't have been offended if we couldn't have gotten together at the diner as much because you had to plan the wedding or whatever. Maybe I could have even helped. I may not be the girliest girl on the planet, but I definitely could have helped with something like the wedding flowers."

"I know that now," says Luke, trying not to dwell on the bittersweet thought of April helping with their wedding. "I guess it just took me a little longer to figure it out."

"I guess that makes sense," says April thoughtfully. "No offense, Dad, but you always have been a little slow at processing things. I mean, when Lorelai let it slip this summer that you took eight years to ask her out-and that even when you did, she didn't even know it was a date until you asked her to dance or whatever-I couldn't believe it. That's just crazy."

Luke laughs, though a few years ago, he would have been offended at the comment. "I guess I might have over-analyzed the whole thing a little too much, huh?"

April rolls her eyes. "You think?"

Smiling, Luke chooses this moment to take the conversation back to a deeper area. "Lorelai really loves you too," he says, giving April another pat on the shoulder. This time, April does not shy away. "Even after your birthday party, you made quite an impression on her, and she wouldn't stop talking about you after this summer, either. She thinks you're a pretty cool kid, and believe me, Lorelai wouldn't say that unless she meant it." April smiles. "Actually, she told me earlier that you're part of the reason she has so much faith that this baby won't turn out into, I quote, 'another loner, flannel wearer,' because otherwise, she would have been concerned."

April's smile fades, and Luke instantly regrets his decision to bring up the baby so soon. Sensing his reaction, April says, "Don't feel bad, Dad. I just need some time to adjust to this, that's all. I mean, it's a big thing, having a little brother or sister. It might be half related to me, but I don't really find halves that important." She laughs a little. "It's too bad this couldn't have happened when I was like five, cause that's the year I wished for a baby brother or sister. Though these days, I'd much rather have an older sister or brother, and pretty soon, Rory will be my new stepsister, so I guess I shouldn't complain."

Luke's heart begins racing. "Uh, what do you mean, stepsister?"

April frowns at him. "I meant after you and Lorelai get married. That is your plan, right?"

"Well…"

"Dad!" April exclaims, sounding every bit like the teenage girl that she is. "You need to ask her! From what I've seen you and Lorelai seem pretty permanent this time, and it's not like either of you want to become single parents again, do you?"

"Well, she hasn't brought it up yet!" Luke says defensively, a bit taken aback by his fourteen-year-old daughter's lecture. "In fact, last time we talked about this, she specifically said that she didn't want to make any decisions about our future right away. I don't think she wants to get married!"

"Dad, the reason she hasn't brought it up more is because she's probably worried that if you ask her, it's just going to be because of the baby," April says patiently. "Plus, she's also probably having flashbacks to last time and is worried that your whole engagement won't work out again. What you need to do is to assure her that even if it weren't for the baby, you'd still have wanted to marry her anyway, and set a date right away, so she'll know you're serious this time. Well, that is assuming you want to get married, but since you're in love, I don't see why you wouldn't."

"No, I do," Luke says, and he is surprised by how quickly the answer comes. "We made a promise to take things slowly this time, but if I could have, I would have married her the day we got back together."

"Well, there you go," April says, a wide smile spreading on her face. "It looks like we've got an engagement to plan."

Surveying April again, it occurs to Luke that his daughter might be right. While he certainly doesn't enjoy being proven wrong by a fourteen-year-old girl, he knows that if Lorelai was willing to let down her guard enough to get pregnant, then she must be thinking about marriage, too. His mind turns to the engagement ring he already has. It both excites and terrifies him that he might be giving her the ring a lot earlier than he thought.

"Yep," he finds himself agreeing. "It looks like we do."

April's eyes glint mischievously. "Hey, Dad? As long as we're on this subject, do you think I could help plan the wedding this time? I meant it when I said I know a lot about flowers."

Luke laughs. "Sure, kid. If Lorelai says yes, you can help plan all the flowers you want."

* * *

Lorelai feels Anna enter the room before she sees her. Although she does not know Anna very well, she feels the tension shift in the air. It is similar to the way the air shifts whenever Lorelai comes face-to-face with Gilmore.

Anna takes a moment before sitting next to Lorelai on the bed in the guest room. They glance away from each other for a few minutes, neither sure what to say. Finally, Anna says, "Luke's with April. She was pretty upset with me after she overheard. She said something about how I should have trust her to make her own decisions, and that I didn't need to have protected her."

Lorelai forces herself to speak. "Yeah, Rory would have been the same way."

"Lorelai," says Anna finally, glancing at Lorelai, "I'm sorry. I had no idea how permanent Luke and you really were, and honestly, I was still having trouble believing that he changed so much since I knew him. You have to understand, Luke was different then. He was still all screwed up and bitter over his dad's death and his other girlfriend, Rachel, and ours wasn't exactly the most serious of relationships. We liked each other, sure, but I don't think either of us saw it going anywhere in the long run. That's part of the reason I never told him I was pregnant."

"I guess I can sorta understand that," Lorelai admits. "The spring before April came, I had a bit of a pregnancy scare, and I was worried about how Luke would have reacted if it turned out I was pregnant, too. I found out he really did want kids about a month later, which was a relief, but I'd definitely observed his seemingly anti-kid behavior before. I guess the difference is by that point, we really already well on the way to our engagement, and I'd already observed how good he could be with kids, in the form of Rory."

Anna looks at her. "Your character reference was true, then? He really was like a second father to Rory? I never doubted it," she says quickly, "but I'm also curious."

Lorelai smiles. "Oh, yeah. He used to let Rory use the diner to study whenever I was out or anything, and he even came to her high school graduation when her own father didn't. But I guess the memory that sticks the most is when Rory was thirteen and had chickenpox. He'd only known her for like a year by that time, but every day, like clockwork, he came over and delivered her mashed potatoes-and a burger or something for me, since I was staying home with Rory all day and had no time to go out or anything. If it weren't for his food, I'd have no doubt we'd have starved to death." That was really the beginning of Lorelai and Luke's friendship. In fact, a few weeks later, Lorelai stopped calling him "Duke".

Anna takes a few minutes to take this in. "I really messed up, didn't I," she says finally. "That was all I could think of during the whole court case. How much I messed up by not letting Luke into April's life from the very start."

Lorelai shrugs. "Yeah, I think you did."

"It's so strange," Anna says. "Even back when we were dating, Luke was always the toxic bachelor type. I remember that no matter how matter how low I was feeling about my relationships, I'd always think about Luke and how he probably had it much worse. I just can't believe that here I am, still single, while he's got his life in order, and"-she motions to Lorelai's stomach-"settling. I know it's my own fault for not telling him, but it still hurts to think that in a few months, he'll be there with a new baby from the very start, when it wasn't that way with April."

Lorelai is hit with a new realization. While ordinarily she would have hesitated before throwing Anna such a personal bone, today, she senses that it might help cement their relationship. "You know, I sorta know what you're feeling," she says. "When Rory was seventeen, Christopher-that's Rory's father-got his girlfriend pregnant, and even though we'd been talking about starting something at the time, Christopher decided to go back and marry his girlfriend. Needless to say, their marriage didn't last, and Sherry ended up leaving for Paris a few years later, but it was still really weird for me. I mean, I was the one who had rejected Christopher's countless proposals over the years, and yet here I was, jealous over Christopher for being there with his new daughter, when he hadn't been there for Rory. I might be completely over Christopher now, but that fact still hurts sometimes." She laughs. "Wow, never in a million years would I have ever thought that I'd have something in common with Sherry."

Anna, no doubt sensing the significance of this, laughs too. "I'm sorry, Lorelai," she says again, once their laughter has died down. She hesitates. "I don't imagine we'll ever be friends, but I think it's high time we put aside our own differences for April."

"Hey, you never know," Lorelai says, feeling more like herself now. "If I can have something in common with 'green is the new pink, oh-please-let-me-take-your-daughter-shopping' Sherry, then anything is possible."

* * *

After a full day and a half in New Mexico with April (in a rare display of generosity from Anna, April took off from school, after completing her "extremely easy" biology test), Luke and Lorelai find themselves on the plane ride home. While both would have preferred staying longer, the diner and Dragonfly Inn are both in desperate need of assistance. Plus, Lorelai knows it is time to face the music, pick up Paul Anka from Doggy Day Care, and explain her absence to the town. While she called Sookie after Luke came and gave her the basics of her emergency visit, she hadn't gone into specifics about why she left.

Once the flight has been in process for about an hour, Lorelai finds herself losing focus from her _People _magazine when a reoccurring thought triggers once again. Luke is asleep, which causes her to hesitate, but she also knows that if she doesn't get up the courage now, she never will. She takes a deep breath. "Hey, Luke?" she says, causing Luke to open his eyes. "I, uh, hope I didn't wake you, but I've been having this thought for a while, ever since I started to really think things through that happened with April, actually, and I wanted to share it."

"Go ahead," Luke says. He must recognize that this is serious, because he does not even protest that she woke him up.

Lorelai hesitates. "Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how I handled things with you and April. I still wished you'd have included me more, but the truth is, I guess in some ways, I did the same thing with Rory when she was younger. I know that there were times when I sorta strung you along before we started dating, and since you were so patient with me, the least I could do was be more sympathetic to you and your feelings. For most of Rory's life, I _needed_ to make her my one and only priority. I can't even imagine being engaged to someone and finding out I had a long lost daughter at the same time."

Luke's expression softens, and he reaches over to kiss her on her head. "Just to set the record straight, I was never offended by you being there for Rory. You were only sixteen when you had her, Lorelai. Do you know how many other single mothers who became mothers at that age that wouldn't have hesitated to put their social lives over their daughters? You absolutely did the right thing."

"I know, but I also know that I pushed away a lot of guys back then because I was afraid of letting someone in, and the thing is…I've realized now that I think I always had feelings for you, but I _had _to stay being your friend, because deep down, I already knew that you were 'it' for me, and I wasn't ready to jump into that until I'd figured out some other things first. But even so, you should know that you and Rory-and pretty soon, this baby-are pretty darn equal in my book. I love you both, just as much."

Luke gives her a rare smile and places his arm around her. Lorelai places her head on his shoulder and does her best to snuggle into Luke, given the airplane seat between them. A few hours later, she wakes up to find that she has fallen asleep in Luke's arms. Smiling, she realizes there's no other place she'd rather be.

* * *

By the time they arrive back in Hartford, it is eight 'o clock and too late to pick up Paul Anka from the kennel Lorelai placed him (normally, she would have asked Babette to look after him, but since she told nobody of her departure, she dropped him off in Hartford instead). Luke asks her to spend the night, and she agrees. Although there will also be nosy townies asking questions at the diner, right now, she'd rather deal with Kirk than Babette.

Sure enough, when they enter the diner, they find Kirk sitting in his usual spot at the counter. Kirk instantly propels them with questions, but falls silent after Luke gives him a warning look. Caesar and Zach, who is on his shift while Lane stays home with the twins, also know better to ask Luke for details about his trip. Luke ends up closing the diner a few minutes later, shutting the door for further questions.

Once the diner is closed, Lorelai sits at the counter and begins a ramble about Paul Anka and how she hopes the kennel was treating her well. She stops when she realizes that a rather tense looking Luke has disappeared behind the curtains to his room. "Luke, what are you doing?" she calls, about to follow him upstairs, but Luke's voice stops her.

"I'll be down in a minute. Keep on talking; I can still hear you."

Although she doubts Luke can really hear her, she continues her ramble, adding that she hopes the kennel didn't try to feed Paul Anka any pees.

When Luke returns, he is carrying a coffee cup, which he slides towards her across the counter. Instantly forgetting that she is now subjected to the horrors of decaf, Lorelai's spirits rise. "Ooh, coffee! I swear Luke, you are the best guy ever, because no one else would know that the best thing after a long flight is-" She lifts up the coffee cup to find that the handle is cold. Luke is shaking his head. Looking into the coffee cup, Lorelai finds a flimsy piece of gray paper stuffed inside. "Luke…?"

"Just open it," says Luke, and Lorelai notices that his hands are shaking. Her own heart beginning to pound faster, Lorelai takes the piece of paper from the cup and opens it. Under the October 2007 Taurus section, the following message has been written in Luke's scrawny handwriting:

_Today, a grumpy diner man will propose to you. Say yes, and he'll never go away._

Lorelai looks up, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Still considerably tense, Luke motions down at the coffee cup. Lorelai looks down into the cup to find a ring. She suppresses a gasp as she looks at. It has the same diamond as her old ring, but a different gold band. Two smaller diamonds surround the diamond she already had. She opens her mouth, but Luke is always speaking.

"Look, I know you didn't say anything about getting married yet, and God knows, I'm probably jumping the gun on this and scaring you off again, but I talked about it with April, and she said you were probably just scared that things wouldn't work out again. And the thing is, regardless of any baby, I love you, Lorelai. I actually made that ring a long time ago after a whole discussion with Liz-you can thank her for the diamond idea; I guess her jewelry making skills really have paid off-and, well, I would have still given it to you. Maybe not as soon as this, but I would have given it to you. And the thing is, Lorelai, I want to do it right this time. I think we owe it to ourselves as well as the baby to make a real home for it. I mean, being single parents again isn't going to get us anywhere, especially since it's not like we'll be breaking up anytime soon. Now, I know you're probably worried about us actually following through with it this time, but I promise, we can set a date right away-we can just have things at the Dragonfly, if it's easier. I was thinking we could maybe set it in December, so that way Rory would already be back from the campaign for Christmas, and with any luck, it will even snow-"

Lorelai cuts him off by leaning across the counter and kissing him. The kiss lasts several moments, and when they break away, a small grin forms on Luke's face. "I guess that's a yes?" he says, only half joking.

Wordlessly, Lorelai nods, her eyes beginning to overflow with tears. Her heart begins beating faster as Luke slips the ring on her finger. For a few moments, neither says anything. Both are far too immersed in taking in the moment.

"Interesting," says Luke at last, smirking. "It looks like I've finally found a way to shut up Lorelai Gilmore."

Lorelai rolls her eyes. "If you're going to be so smug, then I'll start giving you a list about the best proposals in movie history. Personally, my favorite is the passing the engagement ring via thread in _Stepmom_, although there's also nothing like a good, old fashioned Adam Sandler singing a corny song to Drew Barrymore, either."

"And this?" says Luke softly, matching her eyes.

Lorelai cannot stop a smile from appearing on her face. "Believe me, Bucko, Drew and Julia aren't anywhere near as lucky."

Luke cups her chin and leans in for another kiss.

A thousand years ago, a gawky teenage boy tried to corner his girlfriend as she made her way to chemistry class, anxious to do what was expected of him. A hundred years later, a thousand yellow daisies arrived in the mail, mostly as an apology for a hasty question. Now, a horoscope sits on the diner's counter. Though right now, the horoscope is new and fresh, it will not stay that way. Soon, the horoscope will be placed into Lorelai's wallet, where it will remain for the rest of her life, to give her the promised good luck. Still, Lorelai cannot possibly imagine the horoscope bringing any more luck than it already has.


	4. An Interlude: Rory, Sookie, & Townies

Thank you SO MUCH for the reviews! This fic is really my baby, so please keep those thoughts coming. :) I was going to combine this chapter and the next, but it didn't really make sense to, so once again, I bring you a double update (this one=mostly fluff, the other one is deeper)! Enjoy!

* * *

An Interlude: Rory, Sookie, and the Townsies

_She pauses, trying to come up with the best words to explain. "You know, even though I still want to be Luke's wife more than anything, I don't think I'm as fixated on the whole marriage thing anymore. Last time I had myself so convinced that the only way Luke and I would ever be permanent would be if we got married, but maybe in some twisted way, the thing with Christopher really did help me realize that marriage isn't like that. As long as Luke and I are permanent, I'm happy. Marriage is just a formality."_

* * *

Only one person in the world would wake up Rory Gilmore at one 'o clock in the morning, and that is none other than her mother, Lorelai Gilmore.

Rory sighs and picks up her phone. She already got to bed late, due to arriving late in Madison, Wisconsin, and she is not in the mood to talk right now. Nonetheless, she knows her mother must have had a reason for calling. She places the phone to her ear, fully prepared to analyze another one of her mother's bizarre (and hopefully not sexual) dreams.

"Hello?"

She is unprepared for the loud voice coming from the other line. "Rory?"

"Uh, yeah, Mom, it's me. What's up?"

"Can you get on Skype? I am in serious need of a video conference with you."

"Uh, I think this is one of those stupid motels that makes us pay for Internet," Rory says, taken aback. Her brain is still having trouble functioning at this early hour, and she is too tired to comprehend the obviousness reason why her mother is calling. "Are you sure we can't do this by phone?"

"No, there's something I need to show you. Get the internet; I'll pay you back. Consider it a late birthday present to you."

"Well, it certainly feels like a late birthday present, considering that the last time you woke me up so early was on my birthday," Rory grumbles, but does not protest. She turns on her laptop and puts in her credit card information to access the Internet. Every few seconds, Lorelai begs her for the update, but refuses to fill Rory in about why the video chat is so important when Rory asks.

"Okay, Mom, I'm signed in," says Rory, a few minutes after she turned on the computer. "And can we at least hang up the phone? I already have to pay for the Internet, so I don't want to have a higher phone bill on top of things."

"Ooh, Acereporter84, I see you! I'm sending you a request for a video chat right now. And don't worry, I'm hanging up. I wouldn't want my star reporter to use so much money that she starves."

A few seconds later after Lorelai hangs up, a video request from javababe pops up on Rory's screen. Once Skype has connected the two, Lorelai's face appears on the screen. "Ooh, I see you! Hi, honey! Isn't this awesome?"

"Awesome," says Rory dryly. Though her curls are frayed, Lorelai's entire face is shining, and from what Rory can see on the computer screen, she is wearing a pretty lace nightgown. Rory cringes, imagining how she looks. She is beginning to regret her decision to wear her oversized Yale teeshirt to bed.

"Hmm, interesting," says Lorelai, peering at the bed Rory is lying on. "I'm guessing by your volume that the campaign didn't stick you with a roommate this time?"

"Yeah, I think they figured that since the room is already so cheap, there was no use subjecting me to any further torture," Rory says. "Either that or the fact that all of the other, non-blogger reporters are being booked in an actual hotel, but either seems plausible at this moment."

"It's too bad you're not in Hartford," Lorelai says sympathetically. "I have it on good authority that there's a certain Dragonfly Inn in a nearby town who would be willing to rent out quality rooms to the campaign."

"Well, believe me, I'd rather be at the Cheshire Cat than any of the other motels the campaign has set me up with."

"Ooh, the Cheshire Cat! Good one, I'd almost forgotten all about that!"

"You almost forgot about the growing flowered wallpaper and the cat who ate Sammy?"

"What can I say, I have a selective memory."

Now that her eyes have adjusted to the light better, Rory is able to observe Lorelai's location properly. She is sitting on a couch that Rory's sleepy brain is having trouble recognizing. "Mom, weren't you supposed to come home today? Because unless you got a new couch, you're definitely not in the Crap Shack."

In response, Lorelai holds out her left hand to reveal a gold ring with a shimmering diamond, coupled by two diamonds on each side. Realizing what this means, Rory gasps. "Mom, is that-"

"I'm getting married, kid!" Lorelai says, and Rory is startled to see tears forming in her mother's eyes. "It looks like I'm finally gonna be Mrs. Luke Danes, because Luke finally popped the question. We even have a date this time, though believe me, nothing is gonna stop me from getting marrying this time. How does your day look on December twenty-ninth?"

"Well, it looks like I have a gig as someone's maid of honor," says Rory, grinning, and the two squeal for a few minutes.

"So, tell me how it happened," Rory says, once they have calmed down. "The last I heard was that you hadn't talked about your future living arrangements much, so how did you get from there to here?"

"Well, apparently April went into this whole segue about how it was too bad this hadn't happened when she was younger, because she wanted a younger sibling then, and now she'd rather have any older one, but that it was okay, because now she's getting a stepsister," Lorelai says. "I wasn't there, but I guess Luke freaked out cause I hadn't mentioned marriage yet, and April had to convince him that the reason I didn't is because I was afraid things would turn out last time–which I didn't think of, but is probably true, I might add."

"Of course."

"Anyway, so Luke doesn't mention any of this to me, and we have a great time in New Mexico, as you know, since I told you all about it, and then when we got back, he asks me to spend the night. Paul Anka's still at the kennel, and since I don't have any pressing reasons, I say yes. I mean, how was I supposed to know he had an ulterior motive in mind?"

"Aside from the fact he asked you to stay over, which, as much as it grosses me out to admit, usually implies one thing, no, I don't know how you could have."

"Anyway, the minute we step inside the diner, Kirk starts hammering us about where we've been, and you know Luke. He kicks out everyone a few minutes later. So there I am, rambling on and on about how I hope the kennel treated Paul Anka well, when Luke suddenly disappears behind the curtains to his apartment. I'm about to follow him, but he tells me to keep on talking, and when he comes back, he's carrying this coffee cup. I, of course, immediately forget about how I'm now prone to decaf and srart telling him all about how he was the perfect guy for knowing that there's nothing like coffee after a day of flying, when I start realizing that the coffee cup handle's cold, and, hey, Luke looks really nervous. So I look inside the cup, and I see that instead of coffee or decaf or whatever, there's this flimsy piece of gray paper stuffed inside. And I take it out, and what do I see but my horoscope page, and next to the section on Taurus is the message, 'Today, a grumpy diner man will propose to you. Say yes, and he'll never go away.'"

"Oh my God!"

"I know! So I'm just sitting there, totally speechless and starting to cry, when Luke continues to look uncomfortable and motions at the coffee cup. And then I look into the cup and then I see this"-she waves her hand around again-"and not only does it have these two diamonds I've never seen before, but also this big diamond from my old ring. Then before I can say anything, Luke goes into this whole bonafied Luke rant about how he hopes he hasn't scared me off, but that he made the ring long before any of this happened-he said later that he stole the other ring back from me to get the diamond from it-and that he would have wanted to marry me even if there was no baby, but since there is a baby, we also owe it to ourselves to do it differently this time. _Then_ he starts talking about how April said that the one way he could really let me know he was serious way to set a date, so he asks about December, because you'll be home from the campaign anyway and of course the snow, and finally I get so tired of his rant that I stop him."

"So what did you say?"

"Nothing. I kissed him."

"Aww!"

"Yes, I know! So we kiss for a while-don't worry, it was just a kiss-and then Luke looks at me and asks me if that was a yes, and then-I swear I don't know what was up with me!-I _still _can't talk, so I just nod. So he puts on the ring and makes some jab about how he finally learned a way to shut me up…not that he and his food have never shut me up before, I might add, but he can think all he wants…and then I finally regain my composure and start telling him all about the best Hollywood proposal scenes."

"Julia Roberts and the thread in _Stepmom _and the classic cheesy ballad with Adam Sandler in _The Wedding Singer_."

"Exactly. So then Luke looks at me and asks me how he compared, so of course I tell him the truth and say that Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts aren't't anywhere near as lucky. And then we kiss again, and after we're done, I start freaking out because, duh, once again, we have nothing to toast with! I don't know if I told you, but last time, we had absolutely no alcohol or anything, and when we went to Doose's, Taylor was also totally out because of the bike race that was happening at the time, so we ended up drinking Zima. But anyway, even though Luke actually did have some alcohol this time, we couldn't use any of it, because, duh, it's not like I can drink anyway, and toasting with decaf or milk would be too gross. I mean, milk! What was Luke thinking, suggesting that? I'm not two! It's this baby who is going to be needing milk, not me!"

"No, milk would definitely not be festive. Continue please."

"Right. Anyway, I'm considering going to Doose's again for some sparkling cider or something, but then I look to my right and see that Taylor's in the middle of a lull with his soda shop. I figure that it would be better to face Taylor than risk running into Miss Patty or someone at Doose's, so I grab Luke's hand and drag him next door. He was pretty mad at first, but he caught on to what I was doing, and the whole time, we're just on the verge of laughter-even Luke!-as Taylor starts giving us a lecture about how our disappearing act messed up the business of Stars Hallow and how irresponsible we were, blah blah blah. Then Luke cuts him off and tells Taylor that he wants to order two milkshakes, and Taylor is just so shocked at Luke's lack of reaction that he doesn't know what to say. So Luke goes on and orders a coffee shake for me-cause he says that after giving up coffee for him, I at least deserved it cold-and then he decides, what the hell, since coffee brought us together, he might as well order coffee too. And the whole time Taylor is just staring at us, like why the hell can't I drink coffee, and then I just start laughing, and Luke laughs too, but we don't tell him anything as he makes our shakes. Finally, we get them, and we pay-the shakes were ridiculously overcharged, I might add-and then, as we're leaving, I get this sudden idea, and I very deliberately wave to Taylor with my left hand."

"Wow, I can only imagine the expression on Taylor Doose's face."

"Believe me, I shocked him. I think he put it all together about the whole coffee thing in that moment, and as you can imagine, Miss Patty and Babette are going to be swarming like flies over us tomorrow morning. But back the story. So of course Luke asks why I did that-telling Taylor, I mean-because it's going to be all over town by tomorrow, but I tell him it's our engagement, so we need to be happy, and he calms down, and we go to the gazebo-because even though that's where we toasted last time, there's really not a better place. So we click our glasses and make a toast to us and the baby, and of course, Luke totally hates the milkshake, but he swallows it down for me, anyway. Then we go back to his apartment and pick out the first Saturday after Christmas in December, and then a lot of action happens that I don't really need to share with my daughter. After that, Luke falls asleep, but I'm so buzzed that I end up staying up, and that's when I call you."

"So I'm assuming that the unfamiliar room and lack of sleep means you're at Luke's right now?"

"Yeah, that's right. Luke sleeps like a log, and the apartment is a little bigger since April, so I don't think he'll wake up. Speaking of which, it looks like we'll need to significantly expand the Crap Shack again. I'm really not ready to move, but we're going to need more rooms for April and the baby, plus any other critters who might decide to come after."

"You might have another kid after this?"

"Oh, I don't know. My guess is if we do have another kid, it'll be one at the very most, cause I seriously don't see myself pulling a Sookie and Jackson and raising three little ones at the same time. Anyway, that's all in the future." Once again, Lorelai's eyes gleam with tears. "Oh, I'm just so excited, kid!"

"As you should be," says Rory, smiling, and the two jump up and squeal again.

"Okay, now for the serious matter that warrants face-to-face chat," says Lorelai, once they have calmed down. "How do I launch 'Operation Tell Emily and Richard?'"

"You mean, tell them about the baby or the marriage?"

"That's the thing. I don't know which. Do I just tell them about the wedding and hope that they won't notice the extra weight I've gained? Elope and just tell them the baby was super, super early? Bite the bullet and tell them both at once?"

"Well, I think the best option is for you to tell them both news at once," says Rory. "Grandma's going to be mad if she's the last person to know. Anyway, it's not like you're sixteen this time. I'm sure lots of Grandma and Grandpa's friends got pregnant before they were married. One of the ladies at the D.A.R. implied as much."

"Yeah, but does that little fact still affect Emily Gilmore's tone of voice whenever she talks about her?"

"Good point.

"You know, Mom, I think maybe you should just tell her," Rory says, after a good few moments of silence between them. "I mean Grandpa too, but especially Grandma. You know I don't regret the way I've grown up, but I also know how hard Grandma took it after we left. My guess is when you do tell her she's gonna be terrified that she might have to wait sixteen years before she really gets a chance to know her next grandkid, too. I know you and Grandma aren't ever going to get along, but maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to throw her a bone once in a while-you know?"

Her mother is silent for so long that Rory is half-convinced she has fallen back asleep, as nothing else would explain the uncharacteristic quietness of Lorelai Gilmore, but instead, she finally nods. "Yeah, I'll think about it," she says, and Rory is surprised to hear that her mother seems to mean it. "Now, are you really set on going to bed or do you want to hear about the new trick I'm gonna teach Paul Anka after I pick him up?"

* * *

While Lorelai mastered dodging Babette's gossip and taking off from Luke's apartment a long time ago, she is still startled when Babette corners she and Luke the instant they come downstairs. "Is it true?" Babette squawks, but before either can respond, she picks up Lorelai's left hand. Lorelai grins sheepishly as Babette squeals upon seeing her ring and calls over Miss Patty, who appears to have been flirting with a young man. Lorelai manages to escape to the inn, but not before she hears Miss Patty muttering that the cup of coffee Luke gave her is certainly decaf.

The gossip outside the diner is not much better. Most of the Stars Hollow citizens who were dying for the scoop came to the diner, but a few people still approach Lorelai on her way to the Dragonfly. By the time she finally arrives at the Dragonfly, she is winded from having to deal with so much gossip. She leans against the reception desk to catch her breath, only to find Michel staring at her.

"So, you're back," he says, not sounding affected by this very much one way or another. "Perhaps you can tell me about the merit of the rumors we've all been hearing. Is it true that diner owner offered to marry you if you agreed to permanently abstain from coffee?"

"What?" says Lorelai, laughing, but from the look Michel is giving her, she realizes he is serious. She shakes her head, amused that not all of Stars Hollow put together the real reason that she is abstaining from coffee. "Uh, hold that thought, Michel. I'll talk to you later. I just have to talk to Sookie first, and then I promise I'll tell you the real story."

Leaving Michel to mutter that he is always the last person to find anything out around here, Lorelai makes her way to the kitchen. She has barely entered the room when she hears the sound of a platter crashing and a familiar voice squealing, "Oh my God!"

"Hey, Sookie," says Lorelai, smiling, as her best friend approaches her. Instead of hugging her, Sookie merely stares at her, a clump of words tumbling forth.

"You-Luke-baby-ring-explain!"

Noting the way Manny and the rest of Sookie's kitchen staff have begun staring at her, Lorelai leads Sookie away from the kitchen and into her office. Once she has safely closed the door, Lorelai lifts up her left hand. Sookie's eyes widen.

"Oh my God, is that-"

"It is," she confirms, smiling, and a squealing Sookie engulfs her into a huge hug.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!"

"Yes, that does seem to be what everyone is saying today," Lorelai teases, referring to similar reactions from the townies, and Sookie steps back from her, her eyes beginning to water with tears.

Once she has taken a few minutes to compose herself, Sookie studies her closer. "Lorelai," she says softly, "I don't want this to, uh, upset you if it's not true, but, uh, I think it's fair to warn you that your engagement isn't the only rumor out about you and Luke. According to Taylor, who I guess saw the ring first, Luke said something at his soda shop about you not being able to drink coffee for a while or something. Now, that's according to Jackson, who got the word from Gypsy, and I think she got the word from East-Side Tilly, so I'm not exactly sure if it's true, but though Taylor might have a reputation for a lot of other things, he doesn't usually have a reputation for spreading gossip."

"Well, that depends," Lorelai says, fighting to keep a straight face. "If you heard the rumor Michel heard, then it's definitely not true. I can tell you straight out that as much as Luke might disapprove of my addiction to coffee, he did not tell me he wouldn't marry me unless I gave up coffee."

"Oh," says Sookie, her face falling, but she creases her forehead when she realizes that Lorelai's statement does not seem to measure up. "Wait, are you just rebuking the rumor Michel heard or are you-?"

Lorelai takes a deep breath, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm rebuking the rumor that anything besides a pregnancy would cause me to give up coffee."

For the second time that day, Sookie's eyes widen. "You and Luke-" she says, pointing to Lorelai's stomach, and once again, Lorelai nods. "Oh my God, you're drinking decaf!" Sookie squeals, noticing that Lorelai is holding Luke's coffee cup, and she almost knocks it out of Lorelai's hand by hugging her again.

Once Sookie has calmed down, she looks at Lorelai more seriously. "Okay, now for the more serious part of the rumor. Taylor said you went to California. Now, I know you already confirmed that when you told me how you were visiting Mia and then April, but that still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me to begin with. Were you, you know, hiding?" she says, her voice softer, and Lorelai sighs, knowing she cannot hide the truth from Sookie any longer.

"I was," she says softly. "But you have to believe me when I say that it was temporary insanity on my part, and that everything is great with Luke and me now."

"Okay," says Sookie, but she hesitates. "You know, Lorelai, we're the only two people in the room right now. If you have anything to say, you're free to say it."

"Even if I wanted to run, I couldn't," Lorelai says, patting to her stomach. Seeing that Sookie is not amused, Lorelai abandons making jokes for the time being. "Sookie, I meant it about it being temporary insanity and that it's not going to happen again. It might not have turned out the way I expected, you know, getting pregnant again out of wedlock, but I'm really happy about the ways things have worked out. Last night, I even had a Skype conference with Rory in the middle of the night to tell her about the engagement. There's nothing in the world I want more than to marry Luke and have his kid."

"I know," says Sookie, biting her lip. "But you wanted it so much last time that you-"

"Sookie, it's fine," says Lorelai. She pauses, trying to come up with the best words to explain. "You know, even though I still want to be Luke's wife more than anything, I don't think I'm as fixated on the whole marriage thing anymore. Last time I had myself so convinced that the only way Luke and I would ever be permanent would be if we got married, but maybe in some twisted way, the thing with Christopher really did help me realize that marriage isn't like that. As long as Luke and I are permanent, I'm happy. Marriage is just a formality."

"Are you going to take his last name?"

Lorelai frowns, taken aback by the randomness of this question, but since it is coming from Sookie, she decides to answer it. "I don't know yet. On one hand, I want to be feminist, and 'Gilmore' is so much a part of who I am, not only in the business world, but personally. But on the other…" A smile crosses her face, and she finds her hands automatically touching her stomach. "It's _Luke_."

She is startled when a wet eyed Sookie embraces her again. This time, her hug is so fierce that Lorelai has no choice but to hug her back. "Oh, Lorelai honey, I'm so proud of you. You've grown up. I didn't think you'd do it, but you really, really have."

"Grow up?" Lorelai says, not sure whether to be complimented or offended by this particular statement.

"You're not afraid anymore," Sookie says, her expression serious. "You aren't running, like you did with Max, and you aren't psyching yourself out about losing it, like you did last time. Instead, you're content."

Lorelai feels warmth spreading through her, as the full meaning of Sookie's words sink in. "Yeah, I guess I am," she admits, the realization causing her to feel much lighter than she has in a long, long time. "I mean, I wish Rory was here, and then there's this little issue of world peace, but as for Luke and me-I'm content. Now can you pinch me or are you gonna let me ramble on like the sappy person I've become?"

Sookie laughs. "I'm not going to pinch you this time. If you don't mind me saying, it's nice to see you so happy for a change. I promise I'll pinch you if you get really unbearable."

Lorelai chuckles too. "I think I can live with that."

As the two leave the office, Lorelai's mind inadvertently drifts to her conversation with Rory and how she is going to break the news to her own mother. If her mother could look past her own feelings and see how content her daughter is, Lorelai has the feeling that the news would be a lot easier to break.

Just before she joins Michel at the front desk, Lorelai takes out her cell phone. Her heart racing, Lorelai dials the familiar number. Taking a deep breath, she speaks. "Hey, Mom? It's me."


	5. Emily

Writing Emily Gilmore is HARD! I mean, writing her dialogue isn't that bad, but writing in her POV? Difficult. Hope the work paid off! I've never been an anti-Emily fan; I find her an intriguing character, with some redeeming features, so hopefully, it shows. :)

* * *

Emily

_Really, that was all she had ever hoped for: that her daughter would find the same love and companionship that she herself had found with Richard. She'd been thrilled when it looked as if Christopher would be the one, but deep down, she hadn't been surprised when Lorelai had refused Christopher's proposal. She still thought that Lorelai had made a mistake, but her daughter was stubborn. Probably, Lorelai had convinced herself that there was another prince (no doubt one who made a killer cup of coffee) in her future._

* * *

A long time ago, Emily Gilmore observed something in her daughter that she never quite forgot: she was always able to gage her daughter's mood by observing her eyes.

As a young child, whenever Lorelai wanted to sneak a cookie or dress in an outfit Emily would disapprove of, her eyes would brighten with mischief. On the rare occasions that Lorelai let down her guard around Emily and talked about the Inn or Rory, her eyes fill with passion and seriousness. And whenever Lorelai is frightened or afraid, her eyes darken to a shade of navy blue.

Emily hasn't told anybody how easily she can read her daughter's moods. She isn't sure why, as she knows that Richard would certainly agree with her, but whenever she approaches the subject, she can almost hear Lorelai protesting that Emily doesn't know her at all. While Emily is certain she has not imagined her method of reading Lorelai's moods, she also second-guesses it. Lorelai has said over and over again that her mother has no idea who she is, and a small, insecure part of her-a part of herself that Emily strives hard to keep buried-wonders if this is true.

Lorelai's eyes aside, today, Emily can see quite clearly how nervous her daughter is. As she slides into a seat at their table for Dragonfly, dressed in a suit that Emily finds satisfactory, she seems shakier than normal. Normally, Lorelai is quick to scandalize Emily with her insane comments; today, she has not even cracked a single joke since she arrived.

Emily automatically glances at Lorelai's left hand. Although it is bare, Lorelai keeps fiddling with her ring finger, almost as though she is not accustomed to the absence of a weight on her finger. Unexpectedly, Emily finds herself remembering how, on the day they told Trix about their engagement, Richard asked her to remove her ring, so that nothing would tip Trix off before they told her. Though she agreed, she wasn't able to shake off how empty her ring finger felt. Emily watches as Lorelai looks down at her ring finger and sighs, then blushes when she realizes her mother is looking at her.

"So, uh, Mom, I'm sorry about the last minuteness of this lunch," Lorelai says. "It means a lot to me that you took this time out of your schedule to meet with me."

"I think asking me to lunch a few hours before is more rude than last minute," says Emily, her eyes narrowing slightly. Lorelai sighs and begins talking about Sookie's best dishes on the menu, her tone considerably less enthusiastic than normal.

Maybe Lorelai is right, and Emily does not know her daughter well enough. But it does not take Emily knowing Lorelai as well as Lorelai knows Rory for her to remember where she last saw the expression on Lorelai's face.

* * *

It was a chilly day in early March, just a few days after the infamous coming out dress incident, when a fifteen-year-old Lorelai announced to her parents that she needed to speak to them. While both Emily and Richard had brushed this aside, sure that nothing Lorelai wanted to talk to them about could be that important, Lorelai had remained insistent. Now, they sat in the sitting room on a Saturday afternoon, the only sound coming from the ticks of a nearby grandfather clock.

After a good few minutes of silence, Emily turned to Lorelai, prepared to demand that she take the floor, but she was startled by the expression on her daughter's face. Lorelai's eyes had turned darker, and she was hunched over, her hands beginning to fiddle. Instead of the ordinary jeans and tee-shirt that she usually wore on the weekends, she was wearing the conservative skirt and sweater that Emily had bought her for Christmas. Something was clearly wrong. Emily's concern turned to irritation, and she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Lorelai, for goodness sake, you're the one who insisted on talking to us to have this little gathering. You have the floor; now use it."

"Right." Lorelai swallowed hard, then glanced back at her parents, a flicker of mischief in her eyes. "Hey, do you ever wonder why people in the 60s were so obsessed with supernatural sitcoms? I mean, you have _Bewitched _and _I Dream of Jeannie_, not to mention _The Addams Family _and _The Munsters_, though why people feel the need to compare _The Munsters _to _The Addams Family _is ridiculous, seeing as it's plainly obvious that _The Addams Family _is-"

"Lorelai," said Richard sternly, after a glance at his wife, and Lorelai sighed. Her gaze fixated on the wall across from them, she spoke.

"Mom, Dad, as you know, Christopher and I have been dating for a long time. Now obviously you know that, and I don't have to tell you that, but, uh, I thought a little background would be nice." She forced a grin, causing her parents to glare at her. Reproaching, she took another deep breath. "Anyway, at probably this exact same moment, Christopher is telling his parents right now, so you don't have to feel, uh, alone in the matter or anything. In fact, we were thinking you'd probably all discuss this later, but the reason we didn't want to just tell you together is because-"

"Lorelai, just tell us already," Emily said, tired of the games Lorelai was playing. She hesitated, then spoke softer, unable to fathom another possibility of what Lorelai wanted to tell them that concerned she and Christopher. "Tell us. Are you and Christopher-betrothed? Because you know your father and I don't approve of early marriage, and the decision is more than a bit rash, but if you were to wait until college, I suppose this is something that could be discussed-"

Emily was taken aback by the tears shining in her daughter's eyes. To her memory, Emily hadn't seen Lorelai cry since she was five, and that had simply been an ordinary child's tantrum. Before Emily could say anything, Lorelai spoke very softly. Over the clock's ticking, Emily had to strain to hear Lorelai's words. Still, once the words hit her, she knew she never wanted her daughter-her _fifteen-year-old _daughter-to repeat them.

"No. I'm pregnant."

* * *

The clock in the Dragonfly Inn's restaurant is ticking almost as loudly as the grandfather clock from nearly twenty-four years ago. Lorelai continues talking about the menu, oblivious to the thoughts running through Emily's mind. Emily finds herself instinctively glancing at Lorelai's stomach. Of course, it is the same size as it was before, as if Emily's suspicions are correct, there is no way Lorelai is that far along, but if she squints hard enough, she can almost make out a slight budge that wasn't there before. Still, it is also possible Emily is imagining it.

Finally, after they order their food, Emily trying her best to ignore the somewhat knowing look the waiter sends her daughter, Lorelai takes a deep breath. Slightly more composed than she was twenty-three-and-a-half years ago, Lorelai speaks. Her hands clenched together, she says, "You know Luke?"

The irony of how close Lorelai's words are to last time hits Emily, though right now, she is not in the frame of mind to find it funny. "Yes," Emily says, pushing away these thoughts for the time being, "I may be acquainted with your former fiancé and current boyfriend, yes."

"Right." If Emily's words stung her, Lorelai does not mention it. "Well obviously, you know that Luke and I are in a very committed relationship, and I think, as you also know, that I've grown up a lot since I was sixteen-which I realize my taste in food and humor doesn't necessarily reflect-but the reality of the situation is, I'm not sixteen any longer, which, considering you have birth to me, is probably apparent to you, since if you'd given birth to me sixteen years ago, you would have definitely remembered it, and there is no way I'd have had Rory, and-"

"Oh, Lorelai, for goodness sake, I already know what you're here to talk to me about," Emily says, ready to cut to the chase. "I recognize the way this chat is going very well, and I saw that look the waiter gave you while taking our orders. You're pregnant out of wedlock again, and you want my approval. Is that right?"

Lorelai blinks very quickly. "H-how is it that everyone knows this? I mean, you and Mia…"

The word tastes bitter on Emily's tongue. "Mia?"

"Never mind," says Lorelai quickly. "I'm just, uh, kind of surprised, that's all. This isn't exactly how I pictured how this conversation would go." She forces a laugh, which Emily does not return. She sobers up almost immediately. "Anyway, Mom, since obviously patience is not your strong suit, yes, I think I can tell you. Yes, I'm pregnant. I still have to go to the doctor to confirm it, but if the multiple tests I've taken are any indication, Luke and I are going to be having a baby."

Emily glances again at the bare ring finger on Lorelai's left hand. Not noticing where her mother's gaze has fallen, Lorelai continues speaking.

"Now, I know you're disappointed in me, and you have every right to be. It wasn't supposed to happen like this again, and while I'm sure you don't want to know my chosen form of birth control, I can assure you without giving you more details that this was my fault, not Luke's. But as I want you to tell Dad, Luke and I are going to do it right this time." Emily straightens when she finds Lorelai's wide eyes focused on her. "He asked me to marry him, and we already have a date-December twenty-ninth, when Rory will already be home from the campaign-and since Luke had already made the ring for me a long time ago, if this hadn't happened, we would have still used it. Oh, he made it with both new diamonds and a diamond from the old ring. See?" She takes it out of a box from her purse and smiles at it, a look of utter adoration washing over her face. "But the point is, Luke and I love each other, and even though this is a little unplanned, we're really excited about the baby, too. Add in a few more 'really's,' because the last time I felt like this was when-" She stops, finally seeming to notice the expression on her mother's face. "Mom? Mom, are you okay?"

Emily can't speak. Suddenly, she is back in the maternity ward twenty-three-years-ago, and she can't summon enough energy to transport herself back to the present. In her arms is a tiny pink bundle, Lorelai lying in a bed a few feet away.

* * *

When the little baby-_Rory_, she reminded herself-was first placed into Emily's arms, her first thought was that this was the baby who never should have happened. Instead of giving birth to this baby, Lorelai should be in her junior year of high school, preparing for Vasser or Yale, and the same life Emily herself had lived. But in spite of all this, the reality was that despite her foolish name (Dermatol aside, Emily can't imagine whatever possessed Lorelai to name that baby after herself), Rory was here, a tiny baby, who had absolutely no say in whom she was born to. Unexpectedly, Emily found herself remembering the first time she held Lorelai, as her heart swelled with love for her tiny granddaughter.

She couldn't imagine having doing this by herself. Although Richard had not been present inside the delivery room, she knew she would not have been able to make it through her pregnancy without her husband constantly at her side. Yet somehow, Lorelai, still against marrying Christopher, had managed to do this all alone. Emily didn't admire Lorelai for it, as she believed Lorelai could have had help if she really wanted it, but she was also intrigued by this independent girl, who was somehow her daughter. She found herself looking at Rory and wondering if this baby would inherit her mother's independence.

Already, she saw that Rory was different from her mother. Her features were softer than her mother's had been, and her brown hair was lighter. She did not have the same big head that Lorelai had been born with, and she was also smaller. Lorelai had started to cry after Emily first held her, but Rory was comfortably quiet. She seemed happy to be held, not restless as her mother had been. Whereas Lorelai was always changing her mind, eager to know all of her options, this baby seemed content. Emily instinctively knew that Rory would be much easier to raise than her mother had been.

Lorelai herself had been planned. A great deal of time had been spent on conceiving, and she certainly hadn't been the spur of the moment accident. Emily knew her daughter did not believe this, but she had wanted Lorelai, very badly. All of her life, she had wanted a child, and she was thrilled when she learned that one was on the way. Though she had hoped to become a grandmother, she hadn't counted on it happening so soon.

She found herself remembering when, at around five or six-years-old, Lorelai had found the tiara Emily had worn for her wedding. Although Emily had been tempted to disparage Lorelai for messing around with her things, she found herself unable to discipline Lorelai's innocent face. It turned out that the tiara had convinced Lorelai that her mother was a princess, and Lorelai had thought that since that made her royalty, she'd be able to marry the Prince from _Cinderella_. Caught between surprise and laughter, Emily had assured her daughter that even though she wasn't technically royalty, she'd find her own Prince Charming someday. Lorelai didn't seem satisfied, but Emily found her looking at the tiara again a few days later.

Really, that was all she had ever hoped for: that her daughter would find the same love and companionship that she herself had found with Richard. She'd been thrilled when it looked as if Christopher would be the one, but deep down, she hadn't been surprised when Lorelai had refused Christopher's proposal. She still thought that Lorelai had made a mistake, but her daughter was stubborn. Probably, Lorelai had convinced herself that there was another prince (no doubt one who made a killer cup of coffee) in her future.

When she handed Rory back to Lorelai, her daughter instantly began talking to the tiny baby. Rory seemed to almost relax in her mother's arms. Although the scene was unbelievably different from Lorelai's birth, Emily was startled to see a similar smile on her daughter's face. She swallowed hard as she took in the scene, bemused by the pitfalls fate had given her. Richard took her hand, and she smiled, relieved to have someone who understood her so well.

* * *

It took a long time for Emily to stop seeing the seventeen-year-old girl who ran away from home every time she looked into Lorelai's eyes. Even after Friday Night dinner was an accepted part of their weeks, she still sometimes found herself flashing back to the month she spent in bed after Lorelai left. But she doesn't see it today. Instead, as Emily gazes at her daughter, she finds herself staring at someone who unexpectedly reminds her of herself: a woman content with the companionship life has given her. It is the first time in many years that Emily has felt a sense of kinship with her daughter. Recalling a previous metaphor she used, she finds herself wondering if even kayaks sometimes need a second paddler, after all.

The question comes out before Emily can stop it. "Why now?"

Lorelai frowns, startled. "What?"

"I just mean that it's Thursday," Emily explains, as much to Lorelai as to herself. "I accepted your lunch invitation when you pointed out that you still owed me for canceling last Friday's dinner, but the reality is, it is Thursday. I'm sure your Luke would have been more than willing to help you break the news to you and your father, and yet here you are, not a day after you returned from that mysterious trip of yours, and instead of eating at that diner, you're here with me. Why did you insist to meet me when you could have simply could have bit the bullet tomorrow and told both your father and myself at once?"

Lorelai hesitates for a good few moments. Emily has almost given up on her answering when she speaks. "I don't know," she says finally. "Rory said something to me last night, and I guess I was also thinking about something you said when we took the spa trip, about wanting us to be closer. Besides-" She looks down and begins to toy with her napkin. "I knew there was no way I could meet with Dad this late notice, and I thought if I told you earlier, you could tell Dad so that it might sink in by tomorrow, and then we could all, I don't know, celebrate or something. Since you're my parents, and I'm so happy, I just figured that you two should be happy too."

Emily gapes, taken aback. Lorelai hangs her head, clearly embarrassed by her statement. Before Emily can say anything, Lorelai's phone rings, startling them both. After an apologetic look at her mother, Lorelai picks up her phone. Instantly, a smile appears on her face.

"Hey babe. Yeah, I'm actually talking with her right now…No…no, don't apologize. It's totally okay you called early; I understand how you lose track of time during your rush hour…Aw, Kirk asked if he could be your Best Man? That's so sweet. Well…yeah, I know…okay, just make sure that you let him down nicely. Now that we're going to be sharing our money soon and you don't have the added income from me and Rory paying anymore, we're going to need Kirk's tips in order to keep little Bono here happy and fed… What, Bono is a fine name! Any child would be luck to have such a name! Hey, you think if we talk with Irish accent for the first years and throughout my pregnancy, we can get the baby to develop an Irish accent? Uh huh…uh huh…okay, I'll definitely do that." Her grin widens. "Yeah, I'll come to the diner after I pick up Paul Anka later. And don't think you're excused from coming over that, Bucko! You're gonna officially be Paul Anka's daddy soon, and I guarantee that he missed you just as much as much as he missed you. Yeah, yeah…But…okay, I love you, too.

"That was Luke," Lorelai says, after placing down the phone. Emily can tell by how hard her daughter's facial muscles are working that she is trying hard to hide the smile on her face. "He's in a rush at the diner, and he got the time of our lunch wrong. I don't really know how he managed, seeing as I told him about our lunch the minute after I called you, but that's diner rushes for you." She takes a deep breath and straightens her posture. "Anyway. Where were we?"

Emily observes her daughter, who is still trying to fight a smile from forming on her face. Even in the middle of a difficult conversation, Lorelai seems happy and unburdened, in a way she rarely looks around her parents. Emily still does not understand her daughter-how can she, when Lorelai spends so much of her life trying to keep her out-but she also recognizes the expression on her daughter's face. She can still see the little girl Lorelai, fixated on the sight of Cinderella's Prince on the screen. Lorelai wears the same excitement of a woman in love that the child Lorelai would have been envious of. There are no two ways about it; her daughter is happy.

Maybe she still wishes it could have been different and that Lorelai could have worked things out with Christopher or at the very least, found another man would have been more able to provide for her. Yet if Emily is to be completely honest, she has to admit that her daughter is not someone who needs providing for. Aside from borrowing money for Chilton, Lorelai has been completely self-sufficient. Lorelai is the black sheep of her family. God knows, Emily does not understand it, but she does know that if she is going to have any role in her new grandchild's life-a child she feels certain she will love as much as Rory-she is going to have to accept it. As she already realized after the first engagement, Lorelai is happy with Luke. Perhaps she is not the person Emily would have chosen for her daughter, but he is the person Lorelai has chosen. Part of being a mother is allowing her daughter to make that choice.

So, fighting back the first remarks that come to mind, Emily forces herself to speak. "You were talking about how you wanted us to celebrate tomorrow night, and I was just about to ask you, before your fiancé rudely interrupted, what virgin beverage we should have in store for tomorrow."

Lorelai looks at her, her eyebrows scrunched in a tight line. "Really?"

"Of course, Lorelai," Emily says, with a wave of her hand. "The arrival of a child and the engagement of its parents, no matter what the circumstances are, is an occasion to be celebrated. Seeing as you and Luke are set on doing things right this time, there's nothing else to say to you. Obviously, since you're going to be married, no event like this will happen again, so we might as well concentrate on what we can control. Now, would you prefer a virgin version of what we are drinking or a soft one? I know that your nonalcoholic drink of choice is coffee, but given the circumstances, that would not be appropriate, either."

Lorelai's face lights up, causing her eyes to brighten impishly. "Ooh, you know what I really want? Some Kool-Aid or a Capri Sun or something. I used to have some all the time when Rory was little, and since then, we've stopped stocking them in the house."

Emily resists the temptation to roll her eyes. "Honestly, Lorelai, you're thirty-nine-years-old. Can't you at least wait a few years until the baby is older, so you have an ample excuse to stock those drinks in your house?"

"I would, but knowing Luke, the baby will inherit his genes and refuse to drink one or else Luke will refuse to stock it in the first place," Lorelai says. "If I start drinking it now, the baby will develop the taste for it, and then I'll have a chance."

Emily shakes her head, not about to argue with this crazy logic. "Fine, Lorelai. I will ask Suzanne to pick up your Cool Sun as soon as I get back. I'll have her pick up some beer too, as I'm sure that's what Luke will be drinking."

"Kool-Aid and Capri Sun, Mom, not Cool Sun! Although that might be an interesting combination…Capri Sun with a splash of Kool-Aid…ooh, make sure Suzanne buys both, so I can try it!"

Emily wrinkles her nose. "Two sugary children's drinks in one? That's vile, Lorelai."

Lorelai juts out her bottom tip. "Yeah, but I'm pregnant, so I have an excuse for my cravings."

The waiter comes to serve them with their food at that moment. Lorelai picks up her fork and knife to cut up her pecan-crusted chicken, causing Emily to remember the absence of a ring on her daughter's left hand. As Lorelai takes her first bite, Emily nods to the ring box still sitting on the table. "Lorelai, put your ring back on. You don't want anyone thinking you're obtainable, do you?"

Lorelai looks at her. "Really? You mean it?" When Emily nods, she cradles the ring in her hands, before slipping it back on her finger. "Hello, ring," she coos to it. "Oh, I've missed you so. Have you missed me as much as I've missed you?"

"Lorelai, stop talking to your ring and eat your chicken. Now tell me about this impromptu vacation of yours. California and New Mexico, you say? What made you decide to visit there of all places?"

Lorelai looks at the ring one final time and shakes her head, ignoring the question. "Sorry, ring. I'm afraid my mother doesn't understand how much you mean to me. Don't worry; the two of us have a bond that cannot be broken."

But Emily does understand. In her mind's eye, she sees a young red headed woman, relieved to be putting her ring back on after taking it off in her future mother-in-law's presence. She can still feel the relief of putting on the cold silver. That is the moment she truly recognizes that she and Lorelai truly do have more in common than either thought.

* * *

Coming up next: the big Rory chapter (with a little bit of Lit friendship thrown in)! I know I said that it'd be Chapter 4, but it is definitely 5!


	6. Rory 1

Author's Note: Once again, an extremely long chapter had to be split into two. My apologies. For the Lit fans, though, Jess makes his first appearance (though not in person) here, so yay!

This here takes place about a month after the last chapter. All you really have to know is that the Friday night dinner after Lorelai's talk with Emily went well (yay!) Luke and Lorelai are now living together (double yay!). All else is explained.

A few other things to get out of the way: Since this is set in 2007, it was before Facebook chat was established (I myself didn't get a Facebook till 2008, but I looked it up). Therefore, that is why Jess and Rory use instant messenger (probably Skype or AIM; I didn't really decide) instead of simply using Facebook chat, like we have the opportunity to do it now. :) I hate extreme I.M. speech, and I just decided that, being writers, Rory and Jess would be as anal about grammar as I am. So it might be a little unrealistic, but just suspend disbelief about how close their IMing is to their actual dialogue.

I also chose to set this at the real Westfarms Mall in Hartford. Now, I've never even been to Connecticut, so obviously I have not been to the mall, and information comes from Google. The stores are really there, and I tried to do my best with placing the stores in the same floors they were on based on the website (and I googled some of the store's clothing-Gymboree, btw, is AWESOME!), but the reality is I haven't been to Westfarms, so my details are probably wrong. Not to mention, I have no clue if the stores were open or in the same locations in 2007, so for the sake of my fic, let's just pretend they are. That holds true to the next chapter as well. Still, if you HAVE been to Westfarms, feel free to give me a little guidance!

Inspiration for this chapter and the next came from how I'm a little bothered by how Rory has no serious rejection during the series. I mean, pretty much the only guy who said "no" to going out with her is that guy she met in the laundry room of Yale, during Season Four (Logan caves and pursues a real relationship with her, instead of a casual one, eventually). I appreciate how the show made Rory go down a darker path by sleeping with Dean and "taking a break" from Yale, but this still bothers me. While in many ways I prefer the young Rory to the older one, there are times Rory comes off a little too perfect. So, I thought I would change that! I love the fanfics I've read that have Rory really struggling throughout her gig in the campaign, which also makes its way into this fic. A lot of this won't make sense until you read the second half of this chapter, but just a head's up before then. :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Rory (Part 1)

_Things got even stranger when they arrived home. While Rory had prepared herself for the awkwardness of Luke living in her house, she hadn't fully realized that for Luke, the Crap Shack was permanent, and Rory herself was a guest. She simply couldn't get over the fact that her home for half of her life was now home to someone else. When she stepped into her room, she found a sweater April had left during her last visit, earlier that month. She didn't mind sharing her room with her almost stepsister, but she wasn't used to sharing her space, either. Even Gigi's brief stay in her room seemed minor compared to sharing her room with a fourteen-year-old girl._

* * *

There were only a few times in Rory Gilmore's life that she kept things from her mother when a fight wasn't going on. Usually, she only keeps things from her mother when she thinks that her mother might disapprove, but there were a few occasions where she had different motivations. One was when Lane and she were working on the shrine in Lane's closet, and Rory couldn't tell her mother on account of the Mom Code. The other was when Rory took a while to tell her mother about her first kiss. While there have been more instances over the years, these are the first ones that come to Rory's mind.

Now, as she glances at her mother on Black Friday, where they are having their typical marathon shopping day, Rory realizes that she has kept something from her mother, yet again.

What she doesn't know, however, is how to fix it.

To be fair, Rory didn't mean to keep anything from her mother. Life on the campaign is hectic, and Rory is barely able to find time to sleep, eat, and write and research her articles. Aside from a few scattered calls to her mother and Lane and status updates on Facebook, Rory barely has a chance for a social life, either. In fact, it was Facebook that ended up being the catalyst for the secret she kept.

For, no less than a week and a half ago, Rory logged in to find a friend request from none other than Jess Mariano.

* * *

Rory had had a particularly hectic day in Columbus, Ohio, when she received the fateful request. She had had to go to several meetings and speeches, and although she wanted nothing more than to go home and rest, she still had an article to write. She was just glancing at her Facebook page while taking a break from her article when she noticed a new notification. Instantly, she found her heart beating quicker, as the name registered. _Jess Mariano_. The same person she had made a conscious effort not to think about over the last year and a half.

She was surprised to see the friend request, to say the least. Though Facebook stalking confirmed that both Logan and Dean had Facebooks, Rory hadn't added them, and Logan and Dean hadn't added her, either. Rory knew that with her being the Maid of Honor and Jess being the Best Man, she would have to face Jess eventually, but she hadn't expected to confront Jess so soon.

As Rory stared at the friend request on the screen, she found herself remembering how, after she came home from the conference in Washington D.C. before her senior year, her mother had given her a lecture about how she was stringing Dean on. It occurred to Rory that the last time she saw him, she had done the same thing to Jess. Regardless of her feelings for Logan and any feelings she may or may not have had for Jess at the time, it hadn't been fair to kiss him like that. Sometimes, the thought of Jess made her feel guilty. While Logan hadn't fixated on her faults, and Dean had looked past them, she sometimes felt like she had messed up the most while Jess was around. He had been the only one to confront her after she dropped out of Yale, and he had seen her play with his feelings during the infamous kiss. It was true that Jess was the least put-together out of the boys she had dated, yet somehow, he had also been the one who expected the most out of her.

Looking again at the friend request, Rory realized that things would be even more awkward at the wedding if she didn't accept it. After clicking the "Confirm" button, she was surprised when she received an instant message a few minutes later. The screenname was _truncheonwriter_, leaving no room for guessing about who had instant messaged her. She found herself smiling when she read the message:

"_So, I'm thinking we need to seriously do something about this whole incest relationship people are going to think we have after Luke and your mom get hitched. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have a whole _Flowers in the Attic _thing going on."_

In spite of herself, Rory could not help laughing. Even in instant message form, Jess's sarcastic tone was apparent.

"_Hey, don't be so harsh on the whole cousins dating thing," _Rory found herself typing. _"I don't know if I ever told you, but my great-grandmother actually married a cousin of hers. Dating cousins seems to be pretty accepted in the Gilmore world." _

"_Seriously? So I guess we found the cause for your coffee and talking habits and your freakishly blue eyes, huh?"_

"_Funny, the eye thing is what my mom said when she found out too," _Rory typed, before she could stop herself. Jess didn't respond for a few minutes, probably because of the awkward relationship between he and Lorelai. Hoping to lessen the awkwardness by changing the subject, Rory wrote, _"So how did you get my screenname, anyway?"_

"_Facebook. Thanks for accepting the add, btw. You seem to be pretty busy on the road. Luke told me all about your gig."_

"_Really? Then did he also tell you that even though I've been on the road since early June, I still have yet to meet Senator Obama face-to-face?"_

"_Nah, he didn't mention that,_ _but dear ole Uncle Luke's also been pretty preoccupied with the baby and wedding. I blame your mother. She's brainwashed him. She's turned him from a classic bachelor into a domestic man."_

"_Aww, but they're so happy!" _typed Rory. She was beginning to realize how much she had missed talking to someone who knew Luke and her mother as well as she did. It was becoming tiresome to explain her mother and Luke's saga every time someone asked about her stepfather-to-be. _"Aren't you at least a little excited to get an Auntie Lorelai? Think of the joy of calling her that."_

"_Yeah, I guess you have a point there. Do you think she'd mind if I call her that?"_

"_Coming from you, it'll probably annoy the heck out of her, but don't let that stop you."_

"_What happened to the sweet Bambi-like Rory, who is not only the only person in the world to likes her mother, but is best friends with her? Has the Yale education turned you against her?"_

"_Oh, she's still here, but she still does enjoy getting a rise out of her mother every now and then. Mom's been really sappy about the wedding, so really, I'm doing her a favor by making sure she doesn't become like all the sappy brides-to-be we've mocked."_

"_I thought you said you were happy for she and Luke?"_

"_Well, let's just say I'm happier when my mother isn't waking me up in the middle of the night for video Skype conferences to talk about wedding plans, wearing one of Luke's shirts, still in the afterglow."_

"_Okay. Serious mind rape there." _

"_Aww, you're having issues imagining your aunt and uncle getting some loving?"_

"_Don't even go there."_

Rory was surprised by the ease of Jess's and her conversation. Even over instant messaging, it felt just like the way they had talked and joked during their senior year of high school. She found herself thinking about the ease of Luke and her mother's banters and comparing the two. Before she could get too far in her comparison, her mind echoed back Jess's previous words. _Don't even go there._

"_I was wondering whether there was any chance of us meeting up before the wedding," _Jess said. _"I heard you were gonna be in Philadelphia in a few weeks."_

"_I guess that could be arranged," _Rory typed, surprised that he had brought her up. She certainly wasn't about to complain, but she was taken aback by how Jess hadn't so much as hinted at the last time they had seen each other. _"Do you have my new cell number, so we can arrange it when things get closer?"_

"_Well, assuming it's the same one you have up on your Facebook page, yup, I might have it."_

"_Right," _wrote Rory, still a little taken aback. _"Well, I'd better go now. I have an article to write. I assume your number is on your Facebook page too?"_

"_Nope, but I'll text it to ya. Have fun on the article. I should probably do some writing too."_

She wanted to ask him whether he was working on another book, but she knew she didn't have time to get into another conversation. "_Okay, looking forward to it. Bye Jess."_

"_Bye cous."_

Staring at the screen after Jess had logged out, Rory realized that her heart was pounding. She found herself thinking about how Jess had Googled the distance from Stars Hollow to New Haven after she officially decided on Yale and wondered if Luke had also told him that she was stopping in Philadelphia the week after Thanksgiving. A part of her was glad she hadn't asked Jess how he had gotten that particular tidbit of information.

She thought again of the similarities between Jess's and her banters and her mother and Luke's, but was able to put this thought aside. The brown eyes of a fellow campaign reporter had been haunting her lately, and Rory was happy to concentrate on that instead.

* * *

Never, in all of Rory's twenty-three years, has she ever seen a busier mall on Black Friday. The entire city of Hartford seems to be out at Westfarms Mall that day, and there is barely any space available to walk around in. After pushing through a crowd of teenagers on the escalator, Rory turns to her mother.

"So what do we do first?" Rory asks, pointing to the list she is holding of items they need to buy. "Should we brave the maternity stores for you first or do you want to go through the fun ones?" At about eleven weeks pregnant (Rory really isn't keeping track), Lorelai is barely showing, but for Lorelai, the realization she will not be able to shop for cute outfits is horrifying.

That is why Rory is so surprised when Lorelai's attention becomes diverted by a nearby store. "Ooh! Gymboree! Do you have any idea how many of your cute outfits I got here? I swear, kid, if it weren't for Gymboree-well, that and some other stores-you would have not been anywhere near as well dressed as you were."

"Yeah, because I'm sure Gymboree was the go-to place for Grandma and Grandpa when picking out my outfits," says Rory, rolling her eyes, but she cannot help noticing the wistful gaze with which Lorelai eyes the store. "Hey, do you want to go in? I mean, we might as well, since we're here. You said you wanted to look at some baby clothes anyway, and we need to get you in a good mood before we go maternity shopping."

"I knew I sent you to Yale for a reason," says Lorelai, grinning, and she all but pulls Rory into the store.

While Rory expected to feel awkward by going into the baby store, she feels herself warming up to it a little after she and her mother set foot inside. Though she doesn't plan on having kids herself for a long, long time, she is charmed by the tiny outfits that fill the store. Her mother, however, does not waste any time. She marches up to a young salesgirl the instant they step inside.

"Excuse me, but do you have any tiny baseball caps here? Or plaid?"

"Mom!" says Rory, embarrassed, but the salesperson merely shrugs. She is a short, college aged brunette, who looks around nineteen or twenty.

"Well, that depends on the gender and age of your baby," she says. "Do you know his or her size?"

"Oh, it's not born yet," Lorelai says, patting her stomach, "and won't be until about June, according to the doctors, though this one over here was about a week late, so I don't know that I trust doctors here. I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet, though my guess is they'll be a bigger chance for plaid if it's a boy than a girl."

"Her fiancé doesn't leave the house without a backwards baseball cap or a plaid shirt," Rory explains to the bemused salesgirl. "I guess she's planning on turning her next offspring into a mini him, though seeing as my almost stepfather has threatened to withhold coffee from her a couple of times-and if you knew my mother, you'd know that withholding coffee is a crime punishable by death-God knows why."

"Hey, I resent that!" Lorelai says, faking a pout. "Luke happens to clean up very nicely, and as you can see from the outfit he wore to your grandparents' after the diner's Thanksgiving, he also owns a variety of other outfits besides flannel. This little one is gonna wear far more than just flannel and baseball caps, believe me! Still, if Luke ever has to take Baby No-Name to the diner while I have work, he or she will need to adhere to the uniform accordingly."

"Uh, need I remind you what happened when Jess tried to dress up like Luke, then blamed it on the supposed diner uniform?"

"Jess, no matter how much you might have thought so at the time, does not have the cuteness factor going for him in the same way," says Lorelai firmly, causing Rory to recoil slightly, remembering Jess's and her Instant messaging conversation. "Believe me, firstborn, if I dress this baby up like Luke, someone's going to be getting a lot of tips."

The salesgirl is grinning now, and Rory stifles her own laugh at the mental image of Luke's expression, after seeing his baby dressed up like him. "Well, I think we do have a selection of a few plaid shirts that you might consider once your baby is older," the salesgirl says, beginning to lead them to the infant section. "You're right, though, that most of our plaid is for boys, not girls. I'm not so sure about baseball caps; most of our hats are pretty seasonable, so most of the hats we have here are for winter, which, if it's going to be a June baby, I'm sure you don't want." She grins at Rory. "Don't worry. My little sister was just born a few years ago too, and my mom went crazy when I first got my job here. She made me use all of my discounts for Sara's gifts. I'd like to tell you it gets better, but the truth is, there are even more cute things out as the kids get older."

She is the only person that day who accepts the age of Rory and her mother, without so much as a second glance. Still, it isn't until later that day that Rory's gratitude sinks in.

* * *

The scene when Lorelai picked up Rory at the airport was very reminiscent to a previous one, after Rory had finally arrived home from D.C. the summer before her senior year. Both times, the girls squealed and hugged as soon as they saw each other, and the force of their hugs caused them to tumble to the ground. On the way home, they chatted easily and traded pop culture references, tidbits about Stars Hallow gossip, and life on the campaign trail. Still, it wasn't until they reach the diner that Rory was truly hit by how different her mother's life really is.

The first thing Rory noticed when she stepped into the diner was how quickly Luke and her mother caught each other's gazes. While the two were always in-tune with each other, even before they began dating, Rory had never noticed the two so in-sync before. She guessed living together had made her mother and Luke more in touch than ever.

Luke gave her a hug as soon as he saw her–he had become more open about physical affection since April-and quickly went off to prepare her a burger and cup of coffee. Lorelai smiled at him before he left. Even through Rory's and her conversation about the current Britney Spears drama, Lorelai's eyes kept following Luke. Rory was used to her mother's goo-goo eyes from before, but she was unprepared for how Luke kept smiling back.

Things got even stranger when they arrived home. While Rory had prepared herself for the awkwardness of Luke living in her house, she hadn't fully realized that for Luke, the Crap Shack was permanent, and Rory herself was a guest. She simply couldn't get over the fact that her home for half of her life was now home to someone else. When she stepped into her room, she found a sweater April had left during her last visit, earlier that month. She didn't mind sharing her room with her almost stepsister, but she wasn't used to sharing her space, either. Even Gigi's brief stay in her room seemed minor compared to sharing her room with a fourteen-year-old girl.

Dinner was perhaps the strangest event of all. Luke had gotten Caesar to cover so that he could take advantage of the short five days she was home (today was Wednesday, and she was leaving on Sunday), and instead of Luke making dinner as she had half expected, they ordered in pizza and settled in to watch _Moulin Rouge_. Luke, of course, got salad, and every few minutes, Lorelai interrupted to movie to complain about how nauseous the pizza making her feel. Lorelai's morning sickness hadn't been too bad, but every so often, nausea hit. Rory didn't know what was more unbelievable; the fact that her mother really was having trouble eating pizza-a fact which she blamed on the baby being Luke's-or the fact that Luke had already seen _Moulin Rouge _a few times before.

She had planned to talk to her mother about the guy issue she had been going through after Luke went to bed, but instead, Lorelai fell asleep halfway through the movie. After apologizing to Rory and explaining that the pregnancy had made Lorelai more tired, Luke scooped Lorelai up bridal style and carried her to bed. And so Rory spent her first night alone in her room, left to wonder whether things would ever be the same between she and her mother again.

* * *

"We need shoes," says Lorelai, a few short minutes after they leave Gymboree.

Rory automatically looks down at the piece of paper she is holding. "It's not on the list."

"That's cause I just thought of it right now," says Lorelai. "My wedding heels are gonna be my something new for the wedding. I've already got it all figured out. I'm using some of the material from my old dress to make my new wedding dress, so that's my something old, and I'm using a certain unmentionable for my something blue. Plus, I'm borrowing my mother's tiara, so all that's left is my something new."

Rory stops mid-step to stare at her, almost running into a nearby store in the process. "You're borrowing Grandma's tiara? Why didn't I know about this?"

"I'm sorry, sweets. I thought I told you," Lorelai says, looking genuinely apologetic. "I know a tiara was what I planned with Max, but Mom seemed so excited about the idea, and, well, it did get my 'something borrowed' requirement in, as well as shut Mom up about my head being too big for a veil. You're not upset that I forgot to tell you, are you?"

"No," Rory says grudgingly. "You've woken me up enough nights to go over wedding details on Skype. I don't know where you're going to be able to get shoes here, though. Knowing you, you're gonna want really fancy bridal shoes, and I think we'll have a better chance at that at a bridal or boutique store, not a mall."

"You're probably right," says Lorelai, looking disappointed, but after a moment, she brightens. "Oh, why don't you help me with that tomorrow? I'll treat you and buy you some really fancy shoes for the wedding, too. Nothing less for my maid-of-honor."

"Tomorrow's going to be our last full day together," Rory says, a little put-out. "I thought we could have a movie day or just talk or something."

"We can have a movie night later," says Lorelai, not catching on to Rory's terse tone. "It's just that Luke is going to be working tomorrow, and I still want a chance to our girly things before he gets off of work, you know? We can have breakfast at the diner and talk then beforehand."

It is on the tip of Rory's tongue to say that she actually meant a movie day, so she could just spend time with her mother and not feel left out in her own household, but Lorelai has already spotted a maternity store and is making her way towards it.

Rory is startled by the calmness with which Lorelai handles the store. On the car ride there, they were mocking the store's name-_Motherhood Maternity_, as though anything could be less original than that-and the hideous styles that the store is sure to have, but once inside the store, Lorelai appears almost giddy. She asks Rory's opinion on almost every article of clothing she sees and almost drags Rory to help her pick out lingerie. For her own part, Rory is beginning to develop a headache. The store definitely doesn't have as many hideous styles as she was anticipating, and some of her mother's outfit choices are even cute, but it is definitely nothing like shopping for normal clothing.

After filling up three bags worth of maternity outfits (and certain unmentionables that will be used on the Honeymoon), Lorelai gets into a conversation with the woman who is checking out the clothing about her upcoming wedding. "I know it seems like a cliché, but it really wasn't like that," she says, as Rory looks around the room, wondering if anyone would assume that she is the one who is pregnant. "We would have gotten married regardless of any baby, and the baby is just the icing on the cake, sort of speak. Luke and I have been dancing around each other for a really long time. Right, sweets?"

It takes Rory a few moments to realize her mother is talking to her. "Huh? Oh, yeah," she says quickly. Her mother, who no doubt expected Rory to fill in the blanks of Luke's and her relationship, gives Rory a curious look, but after a few moments, she continues talking.

"Luke was my friend for eight years before he got the courage to ask me out," she tells the check-out woman. "Actually, when he did ask me out, it was to his sister's wedding, and I didn't even know it was a date, but when he asked me to dance, I started to get a better idea. When I told my daughter over here about the dance, she said the way I said 'Luke can waltz' sounded more like 'I'm surprised I still have my clothes on.'" She giggles, sounding more like a young Molly Ringwald than the thirty-nine-year-old that she is. "That was three and a half years ago, so we still had to go through a lot to get to this point, but we have, and I'm so glad we did."

The check-out woman, a redhead in her mid-thirties, gives Lorelai a genuine smile. "Well, I definitely hope the wedding and rest of your pregnancy go well. Who knows, maybe I'll see you again in a couple of months!"

"God, I am so not ready for getting even fatter than the outfits I bought!" says Lorelai, making a face, and the check-out woman laughs. Rory breathes out a sigh of relief when they finally exit the store. While maternity stores are not as traumatizing as Gigi's birth was by a long shot, she cannot help eying some of the especially large woman and worrying that they are about to pop.

"You know, Sookie is convinced that we should have known the past wedding wasn't going to pan out, but it's fate this one is," Lorelai tells Rory, oblivious to Rory's relief after leaving the store. "I don't know what I was thinking last time, renting another spot and going out to buy my dress, when I could have easily just had the wedding at the Dragonfly and made my dress myself. I mean, just the fact that we weren't even thinking about including the Chuppah should have told me something! Not to mention the whole 'groom seeing the bride's dress before the wedding is bad luck' turned out to be true." She lowers her voice. "Will you mock me if I tell you that I'm seriously starting to become like your grandmother-that I have a feeling that after the dress is done, I'm going to wait until Luke falls asleep so that I can try it on every night?"

"Well, it's better than last time, when looking at your wedding dress made you cry every time you looked at it," says Rory under her breath.

She is half looking forward to Lorelai's wrath, as she is becoming seriously freaked out by the happy pod Lorelai that her mother has become, but Lorelai only gives her a quick glance before shrugging. "You've got that right. Yet another sign of the wedding that was doomed not to happen."

Even though her mother does not seem putout by her statement, Rory has the urge to apologize, but before she can say anything, her mother's eyes brighten yet again. "Ooh, did you write down that we need purses? Cause I was thinking we could see if Jessica McClintock has any. I want to make sure that me, you, April, Sookie, Lane, and Liz-and probably even my mother, just to placate things a little-have matching purses. Speaking of which, do you have any idea what to do about April's partner? I know Luke would prefer that she walk down the aisle solo, but with everyone else having partners, it's going to look kinda odd, don't you think? Do you think there's any chance that Kirk's determination to be a groomsman will wear Luke down, and April can walk down the aisle with Kirk?"

Sighing, Rory tunes out the rest of her mother's chatter by taking out her pencil and adding "purses" to the list.

* * *

When Rory was seven-years-old, she experienced her first Thanksgiving dinner at the elder Gilmore residents. She had been going to their annual Christmas party every year with the exception of the Christmas after Lorelai first brought her to Stars Hollow, but she had never gone there to Thanksgiving before. This year, however, Mia was going out of town to visit her son, and after some major convincing that Lorelai and Rory should not be alone, Lorelai agreed to brave her parents' Thanksgiving dinner.

Rory could not remember that particular Thanksgiving very well, but her mother had told her about it. How her mother had spent hours fretting over their outfits, before finally deciding on an outfit that turned out to be a few inches too short on Rory, and an enormous debate with Emily Gilmore had followed as a result. How even though Christopher had (naturally) not made it, Rory's grandparents had spent the entire time talking about what a fine man Christopher was. How one of Lorelai's former classmates and her family was there, and she spent the entire time making snide comments about Lorelai's lifestyle. Even the turkey turned out to be slightly overdone, ruining the entire bright side of the meal.

This particular Thanksgiving, however, turned out to be as different from that Thanksgiving as it possibly could be. For one thing, Luke was there, and Emily managed to avoid the topic of Luke's profession (and Lorelai's pregnancy) to her other guests by talking about the beautiful wedding Luke and Lorelai would be having. For another, Rory was older, and everyone, even the most conservative Republicans, seemed interested in her journalism gig. Most differently of all, Emily and Lorelai were much more polite around each other than normal. Though there were a few little remarks-Lorelai's crazy statements, and Emily's disparaging ones-there were not as many as normal.

"What's your damage, Heather?" Rory whispered to her mother, after a rare moment alone in the dining room, when Emily was entertaining her female guests in the living room. Luke had been taken hostage by Richard, who was entertaining the male guests in his study. "Last time I saw Luke and Grandma and Grandpa together, you were convinced they were going to maul him like it was World War Three. Now Grandpa is treating Luke like he's his own son, and neither grandparent is even mentioning the embarrassment of you marrying another man, a mere year after your whirlwind marriage with Dad. What gives?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Remember what your grandmother said to me the Friday night dinner after I mentioned Luke and I were an item again?" Rory nodded, remembering how, though it had taken her mother a long time to catch her up on it, her mother had told her the startling fact that Emily and Richard didn't seem bothered that their daughter was back together with Luke. "Well, my mother must not have been lying when she said that us getting back together was inevitable, and she couldn't fight it anymore, or else they really did get used to it after last time, cause they've been strangely polite with Luke ever since. I mean, yeah, Luke's not their favorite person ever, and Dad's still on Luke's case about franchising the diner, but I think they're almost okay with him now. I told you how almost nice the Friday Night dinner after I told mom about the engagement and you-know-what was. It's been so weird. I keep on waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"I guess it's not too surprising," said Rory thoughtfully. "Grandpa's happy as long as he has someone to show off, and since Luke's not the most talkative person anyway, I'm sure he can get Luke to go along with everything he says. Grandma's just happy that you're letting her help plan the wedding and aren't going to do something drastic like eloping again. From my journalistic observations, at least, it seems like things have actually improved on the Friday Night dinner front."

"Oh, I wouldn't go as far to say that," Lorelai said. "Ms. Eva Peron is always at her best while making public appearances, and as for Mr. Juan over here, he's just good at doing whatever Ms. Eva says."

"Hmm, I like this particular metaphor," Rory said, with a nod of approval. "Should we buy some sheet music and make Grandma learn a rousing rendition of 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'? Or should we go back to your more typical metaphor of the other Eva and have the grandparents sing 'Springtime for Hilter' instead?"

"There is definitely something to be said with famous dictators having musical songs and wives named Eva," Lorelai said. "Someone should seriously invest in a musical of the fictional, but more aptly named, Eva Mussolini. In the spirit of typecasting, we can even get Patti LuPone to play her, because she's Italian."

"But knowing Madonna, she'll just steal the part for the movie version again, anyhow."

"What have I told you about mocking the _Evita _movie?" Lorelai said with a finger wag. "No matter how amusing it might be to imagine the Material Girl-turned-Mystic as an Argentina dictator, you're forgetting Antonio Banderas. He might not be as good a singer as that high pitched tenor on Broadway who originally had the role, but he seriously ranks in terms of eye candy."

Before Rory could retort that Mandy Patinkin was responsible for saying one of the most famous movie lines in _The Princess Bride _(and perhaps all of film history) and didn't deserve to be mocked so cruelly, Emily interrupted by calling them into the living room. This ended their discussion for the night.

Leaving the elder Gilmore's was bittersweet. Emily and Richard were departing on a short weekend trip to the Vineyard, thus canceling the next night's Friday Night Dinner. On one hand, Rory was relieved not to be walking on eggshells anymore; though it had been a pleasant Thanksgiving this year, she always preferred spending time with her grandparents alone to having to be on her best behavior around their friends. On the other, she was genuinely sad to leave them, though she knew she would see them again during the holidays, a mere month away. She was surprised, however, when, just before her grandparents hugged her goodbye, Emily turned to Lorelai and requested that they have lunch when they returned, so they could discuss wedding decorations. Even though her mother had denied it, she could tell Emily and Lorelai were a lot less tense around each other than before.

She watched Richard pat Luke on the back, and Emily give her mother a small, pursed lipped-but genuine-smile, with a combination of feelings. Once again, she was confronted with how had happened since she'd left. Though she knew her mother would burn her alive if she ever found out, Rory had missed Friday Night Dinners. She wondered if she would find a job near Hartford after the campaign.

* * *

The shopping trip gets slightly better after the trip for maternity clothing. Her mother is very supportive throughout Rory's trips to bebe, Cache, and Lord and Taylor, but is also understanding that Rory's price range right now is better suited for Forever XXI. In the end, she treats herself to a black sweater from Cache and a few chic, knock off dresses from Forever XXI.

Just as Rory's stomach is beginning to growl-although Westfarms Mall has all of the shops they need, it does not have a food court, and she and her mother were discussing mall hopping so that they could get their desired junk food fix in-Lorelai points to the last item of the to-do list again. "So, what do you say we look at purses, before grabbing some pretzels for a pre-lunch and making our way to the nearest mall with a food court? If we pick the right place, we might even be able to get my shoe shopping out of the way."

Rory sighs, but forces a smile onto her face. "Sure. Lead the way."

If possible, Rory is even more uncomfortable inside Jessica McClintock than Motherhood Maternity. Whereas most of the women inside Motherhood Maternity were older than she, the girls inside Jessica McClintock really are around her age. A group of giggly young women, led by a blonde who reminds her of Lindsay, are going crazy looking at wedding dresses. One short redhead even sighs that since she doesn't have a boyfriend now, she will probably never get married.

Rory has to bite her lip to keep from saying something. _Whatever happened to being a career woman? _she thinks, wondering why these woman are in such a rush. Still, her mind inadvertently crosses to Logan. She can't get over the fact that if she had accepted Logan's proposal, she would probably be in the same situation as these women are.

The clutches are the right color–the bridesmaids are wearing ice blue dresses, with silver accessories, to keep the winter theme going-but Lorelai does not like any of them. Rory is relieved, since it is now past two 'o clock, and their late breakfast feels very far away, but her mother's attention is caught by a display of blue bridesmaid dresses. Rory rolls her eyes as she approaches her. "Mom, you don't need those! You already have bridesmaid dresses," she says. Although her mother wanted to make all of the girls' dresses, Luke was worried about the amount of pressure she was already putting on herself with planning a wedding in two months, and Lorelai finally consented to only making Rory's and her dresses. She ended up buying the bridesmaid dresses, which are currently being altered, from the same boutique as she bought her original wedding dress.

"I know, I'm just getting ideas," Lorelai defends herself. Rory sighs.

"Mom, you already paid for the bridesmaid dresses you are using," she reminds her. "Not only that, but you already had everyone come in for measurements, and with April especially, it's not like you can fly her back just to be measured again. I mean, I guess you could get the measurements you gave to the alteration ladies, but how would that look? Ditching the dresses you spent hours picking out and asking my advice by emailing me picture of by buying dresses you got totally on a whim? Something tells me Luke might not appreciate that too much."

"Can't a bride at least get ideas for her maid of honor's dress?" Lorelai says, pouting, but Rory shakes her head. Even the mention of her special maid of honor dress has not managed to placate her. One of the store workers, who was previously helping the group of young women Rory's age, comes over. As she moves closer, Rory gets a whiff of the strong flowery perfume she is wearing.

"May I help you?" she asks politely.

Her mother is still lost in her own world looking at dresses, so Rory decides to take matters into her own hands. "We're fine. I'm just trying to get her to stop looking at bridesmaids dresses, when she already bought some perfectly acceptable ones."

"Hey, I told you I was getting ideas for your maid of honor dress!" Lorelai whines, turning around to glare at her. The store worker laughs. She is wearing bright lip gloss, which matches her bright pink shirt. She seems only a little younger than Rory, and if Rory hadn't known better, she would have pegged her as one of the bridesmaids in the young woman's wedding.

"Man, I wish my sister and I were that close," she says, still laughing. "I think she'd pick just about anyone, including the geeky girl who was like two years younger than everyone else and sat in front of her in eleventh grade English and read Star Trek magazines, before she picked me to be Maid of Honor."

Rory and Lorelai turn to each other and freeze. It is a misconception they have become used to over the years, but today, Rory finds it hitting her especially hard. She is suddenly hit by the possibility that this baby could very well be a girl. While Rory knows that even another daughter would not upset her mother's and her relationship, her mind becomes fixated on the fact that nobody will ever mistake the future baby and her mother as siblings.

"Actually-" Lorelai starts to say, but Rory cuts her off with a fake grin. Her heart pounding, she turns back to the store worker.

"What my big sister was saying"-here, she bumps her mother with her hip, and Lorelai frowns-"is that we're really half siblings. Miss Bride-to-be over here was sixteen when I was born, so we didn't really grow up in the same house or anything. Same mothers, different fathers. Believe me, that having different fathers thing really makes a difference. But now I'm going to be an aunt, so I think I can overlook her craziness from having a dead beat father. Oh, huh, I guess she's not showing yet, is she? Yep, it looks like my big sis is bringing more than just a bouquet of flowers down the aisle."

"Rory," says Lorelai, softly, but Rory ignores her.

Swallowing and forcing another smile for the store worker, she says, "I actually have to go to run an errand. But don't worry, my moth-sister can entertain you. Her fiancé was a Trekkie when he was younger, and he turned out okay, so maybe she can convince you to tell your sister that not all geeky nerds are bad or anything. I mean, generally nerds, not sorority girls, are the ones who are accepted to Ivy League schools, and they're the ones who get good jobs, so nerds have a higher place in society than sorority girls, right?"

Without wasting for the girl's response, Rory rushes out the door, ignoring her mother calling her name. Running with an amount of force she has not exhibited in a long while, she disappears into the Black Friday crowd and gets on the escalator, until she is two floors down. From there, she shuts herself in a stall in the nearest bathroom. She takes out her phone from her purse and is just about to call Lane when she thinks better of it. Her best friend will probably be too preoccupied with Steve and Kwan, and Paris will not be sympathetic in this kind of situation. As for Olivia and Lucy, she has only talked to them via Facebook, and though they are a good distraction, she has never turned to them with a more serious conversation. Before she can stop herself, she dials the next number she thinks of.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Jess," she says quietly.


	7. Rory 2

I meant to update this yesterday, but I didn't have a chance to. I should warn you, though, that though I'm updating this story requently, you definitely shouldn't expect me to be a super update writer in the rest of my stories. As much as I would love to be, I think my other three in-progress chapter fics (which I probably won't really get to work on until after this is done) speak for themselves. Anyway, enjoy!

P.S. Though Jess insults Logan in this chapter, that doesn't not necessarily reflect my own views: it's just that Jess doesn't like Logan, so to keep in-character, he would insult Logan. I don't agree with Jess (as Rory ends up saying also) that Logan expected Rory to give up her job and marry him; you can feel however you do about Logan, but the reality is, Rory and Logan both did love each other while they were together, though you can make your own case about whether their relationship was right (or whether they would have loved other people more) or not. I just wanted to clarify because even though this story isn't going to be Rogan, the last thing I want to do is offend any Rogan shippers who might read this story.

P.P.S. Sorry for poking fun at _Twilight _and _Gossip Girls _if you happen to be a fan (I haven't read the books/seen many episodes of _Gossip Girl_, so I can't comment). I just felt like for Jess especially, they'd be things he'd mock. And you can't deny that like Rory, in the first book especially, Bella was pretty lucky in love. ;)

* * *

Rory (Part 2)

_Things got even stranger when they arrived home. While Rory had prepared herself for the awkwardness of Luke living in her house, she hadn't fully realized that for Luke, the Crap Shack was permanent, and Rory herself was a guest. She simply couldn't get over the fact that her home for half of her life was now home to someone else. When she stepped into her room, she found a sweater April had left during her last visit, earlier that month. She didn't mind sharing her room with her almost stepsister, but she wasn't used to sharing her space, either. Even Gigi's brief stay in her room seemed minor compared to sharing her room with a fourteen-year-old girl._

_

* * *

_

Jess takes a few moments to answer her. Even though it has been over a year since she last saw him and longer still since they saw each other on a regular basis, she can imagine his reaction upon hearing her voice. Somewhere in Philadelphia, he is probably sitting up straighter, no doubt taken aback to hear her voice after a good year and a half apart.

"Rory?"

She nods, but cannot bring herself to say anything. After a few moments of silence, Jess speaks again. "Huh, I can't say I was expecting you. When I saw your number on Caller I.D., I figured I was hallucinating or something. I thought for sure you'd be out with your mother doing that mad shopping thing that's supposed to be happening today. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. Remind me to give you a pat on the head and a cookie next time I see you."

A smile begins to tug at the corners of her mouth. "Would it lessen your respect for me greatly if you knew that I was calling you from a bathroom stall at a Hartford mall right now?"

"That depends. Are you and dear ole Ernest still at odds with each other?"

"I might have had to choke through _The Sun Also Rises_, yes."

"Then you don't get your cookie. I might, however, give you a pat on the head, but only if you're very good and give _A Farewell to Arms _another chance."

"And if I'd prefer the cookie to the pat on the head?"

"Well, let's just say you're gonna have to do a whole lot more brushing up on your literary tastes to get that."

She smiles, momentarily forgetting the reason for calling him. A comfortable pause settles between them. This is what she loves best about talking to people she knows well; even when neither is talking, the silence never feels awkward.

"Rory?" says Jess, his tone softer. "Are you all right?"

She forces out a laugh, thinking about how "not all right" she feels. "Why do you ask that?"

"Well, even though I'm gonna be her Best Man, I have a feeling that Luke had to do a whole lot of arm twisting for dear ole Auntie Lorelai to agree. Unless Mommy dearest made you call me to cancel seeing me when you come to Philadelphia, I can't exactly see you calling me while you two are in the middle of a shopping trip."

A surge of irritation creeps into her voice. "God, why is it that no one believes I can do things without the approval of my mother? I went out with you and Logan, dammit! I even stole a Yacht and took a semester off from Yale, and everyone still sees us as the mother-daughter pair who is conjoined at the hip. Well, either that or that we're sisters, though it's my own fault that worker from Jessica McClintock thinks so."

"Geez, Rory, calm down. I know you two have separate minds, or else you would have never ran off to Philadelphia to see me in the first place." She swallows hard at the mention of the topic she and Jess have both been trying so hard to avoid. "All I meant is that if you're calling me now, your mother obviously isn't within hearing distance. Now, are you gonna tell me what happened or am I going to have to force it out of you?"

Rory's tone comes out bitter. "Well, considering I'm currently locked in a bathroom stall, after snapping at a worker at Jessica McClintock who thought my mom and I were sisters that we were only half sisters and that she had a deadbeat father, I would say that the odds that my mother is within hearing distance are pretty slim."

Jess pauses for a few moments. "Okay. Speak."

She lets out a breath and finally speaks the words she hasn't had the courage to say out loud. "I've been having a really hard time lately."

"Yeah, I imagine the joy of hopping from bus-to-bus to cheap motels in a whole lot of cities isn't something I should be jumping up and down and cheering about."

"No, seriously, it sucks. It really, really sucks. I thought that things would be different, you know, that I'd be treated like a cool reporter or something, but instead, I feel like a freshman all over again. Nobody cares about writing for an online journal, at least not when there are representatives from _The New York Times _running around. And then, if things aren't bad enough, the one person I actually do feel comfortable talking to basically tells me I'm an ugly pig and ditches me for my blonde-bimbo-roommate-when-the-campaign-is-too-cheap-to-pay-for-my-own-room."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. An ugly pig…Rory? Who the hell is this guy who compared you to a kind of swine?"

She looks down at her lap. "Ryan. And no, he didn't actually call me that, but I thought we had a special connection going on, and then, this Monday, I caught him making out with Amanda-she's the blonde who's sometimes my roommate. Her job isn't much better than mine is, but she at least is writing for an actual published journal and gets more attention as a result, which I can't understand, since, seriously, Paris Hilton's memoir reads better than her work. But apparently, it's pretty serious, because they've been friends for a long time before I ever came on to the campaign scene, and even after a few dates, they're practically engaged-to-be-engaged or whatever." She thinks of her mother and Luke. "I don't even know why I'm letting myself get so upset over this. Sure I liked him, but I just got off of a serious relationship with Logan, and-well, I guess the truth is, this is the first time somebody's ever really seriously rejected me. I know that that sounds really pathetic, and God knows, I probably deserve to experience some heartbreak, but there you have it. I'm just a freaking Bella Swan, used to all of the guys falling into my lap. Go ahead; mock. I know you want to."

"Well, as tempting as the mock is-and believe me, the fact that you even compared yourself the heroine of a tween vampire series deserves a mock of itself-I think I'm gonna pass on this one. So you're heartsick, huh? What did your mother say when you told her?"

"That's the thing! I haven't told her. I was going to-I mean, I'd mentioned Ryan on the phone a few times before-but seriously, every time I get close to talking about it this week, she goes off on this whole segue about how much I think she'll be showing next month, so she can plan for her wedding dress, or who should walk down the aisle with April, or God knows what else. We can't even talk at the diner or our house anymore, cause Luke's there too. Which isn't bad-I _love_ Luke-but I'm getting seriously sick of the goo-goo eyes the two are sending each other. Do you know that this morning at the diner after Mom told Luke that she was buying some maternity outfits later, they just stood there for a good minute _smiling_ at each other? And then when Kirk interrupted by complaining that he wanted his food, Luke just grunted and went off to get it for him, without a single protest? Luke's the absolute last person I would have pegged to act like this, and Mom and I have spent years mocking sappy couples, but now, they're unbearable. Luke actually watched a movie with us Wednesday night, and it was _Moulin Rouge_. _And_ he'd already seen it a few times before, and only said, like, a total of five comments about it. If that isn't freaky, I don't know what is."

Jess laughs. "Okay, that does deserve some mocking."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for Mom and Luke. I really am. After everything that happened last year, they deserve this wedding, and they deserve this baby. Mom deserves to actually have a father present, and Luke deserves to actually meet his kid before it's twelve-years-old. I just can't help thinking-what about me?" The tears come quickly. "I don't just mean the baby or anything, though God knows, I should be more jealous, with this kid actually having an involved father and everything, but I also just mean this life, this whole _life_ Mom's carved for herself while I was gone. I have cold motel rooms and Fast food and Ramen noodles and chats by phone and Facebook and Skype to get me through my days, and she has a dog, a fiancé, and a baby coming, plus the said fiancé who not only cooks for her, but even watches movies like _Moulin Rouge _and _Showgirls _for her. Did you hear the story of their engagement?" A couple of tears run down her face. "I don't think I'll ever have that. I mean, I should have that, right? I'm twenty-three. Lane's married, and Paris and Doyle are living in Boston together, and I should have that. I just don't."

"Hey," says Jess, a little awkwardly. "For what it's worth, uh, Luke mentioned something about how you broke up with Logan. And I know this probably won't make you feel better, cause he must have had some redeeming qualities if you were willing to stay with him for that long, but I think he was a jerk, giving you an ultimatum like that. You're twenty-three-years-old, for God's sake. What did he expect, that you'd just pick up your life, give up on your career, and move to San Francisco to be with him? Did he really not know you at all?"

"I'm pretty sure he didn't expect me to just give up his career for him. I think he figured I'd just do both. And I don't know about that-about me being too young, that is. Mom and I were just in this bridal shop, and this one bride looked really close in age to me. Besides, Lane and Zach are married, and as far as I know, they're doing great."

"Yeah, but those other girls aren't you. You're Rory Gilmore, and even if you might jump on the bandwagon and do something like Black Friday shopping, you're definitely not like most girls. You're gonna become the next Christine Amanpour, not the next, I don't know, whoever the hell that girl who writes all those blogs in _Gossip Girl _is."

"You're mocking me for comparing myself to Bella Swan? You just made a comparison to _Gossip Girl_!"

"Hey, I just happened to get a glimpse of it while I was channeling surfing the other night. It's not like I actually sat down and watched it or anything. Don't tell me you've never seen any of it, either."

"Yeah, but I'm a girl. I can get away with watching things like _Gossip Girl_. You can't."

"So you admit you've seen it too?"

"Get your facts straight. I read the back cover of one of the _books_ in a bookstore."

"I know it's a book series. I'm a published writer, for God's sake. What I didn't know is that you read them."

"Are we seriously about to get into a debate over whether it's more pathetic to have seen an episode of _Gossip Girl _or read one of the books? Because it looks to me that's the road we're headed on."

"Oh, so you did read one of the books? Besides the back cover, I mean."

"Jess…"

"Okay, okay. My point is that if Logan knew you at all, he would have known that there's no way you would just pack up your life to San Francisco to get married at twenty-three. And fyi, the whole mother-starting-over-with-baby thing? I know what it's like. So if you still are processing things by, say, the time you come to Philadelphia, we can talk."

She puts on a tone of mock shock. "Why, Jess Mariano, are you seriously scheduling a time to have a heart-to-heart conversation with me? I'm touched." When Jess doesn't respond for a few moments, she lowers her voice. "Seriously, though. You don't mind talking about it?" Although she knows Jess has matured a lot in the five years since they dated, she can't remember him ever admitting his feelings to her about such a personal subject before.

"Hey, I figure I might as well do my part in the world and pass on my knowledge to those younger than I am," says Jess, making a jab at how he is a few months older than she is. "As long as we're on the topic, I will, however, leave you with a parting thought: Doula. The spawn of T.J. and Liz."

In spite of herself, Rory can't help laughing. "Oh, God, that is a bit frightening."

"Yeah, so though we both know that nothing's even gonna come close to that particular mixing of DNA, think of it this way. If you want to believe the whole nurture versus nature thing, then at least with our fathers not being around much, we didn't have a chance to inherit all of their crazy on top of our mother's. I mean, think about it. A flannel wearing coffee addict who will probably be both a maniac rambler _and_ ranter? Minor compared to Liz and T.J.'s offspring, but still pretty frightening."

"Wow, that fact didn't even occur to me."

"See, when you think of things like that, it makes the whole thing a lot easier."

There is a knock on the bathroom stall, and Rory sighs. "I'd better go," she tells Jess regretfully. "It's been really busy here at the mall today, and I don't want to hog the bathroom anymore than I already have. I'll call you tomorrow about a plan for us to meet up or something." She smiles. "I'm looking forward to more commiserating."

"Hey, Rory," Jess says, before she can put down the phone. "About what you were saying earlier-about worrying about someone never being there for you, like your mom and Luke? You'll get that someday. Maybe it won't be Logan, but it will be someone."

Rory's heart beats a little quicker. She is touched. No other guy, especially one who has seen her mess up as many times as Jess have, has ever said anything so sweet to her before. Coming from Jess especially, it is a major compliment. Still, a surge of skepticism creeps in. "What gives you the authority?" she says softly. "I mean, Christine Amanpour didn't marry her husband until she was forty or something. How do you know I won't just be a career woman? How do you know I'll have it?"

"I just do, okay?" says Jess, a little awkwardly. "Hell, if Paris could find somebody to put up with her quirks, then believe me, you definitely can, too. Now go get out of the bathroom stall. I'm sure there's some woman with a heavy bladder just dying for you to get out."

She has so much she wants to say then, but instead, she settles on the thing she knows she needs to say the most. "Uh, Jess? About what happened the last time we saw each other? The thing is-I'm sorry. I had no right to use you like that, and I don't really have anything else to say that you deserved better, and-I'm sorry."

She hears Jess take in a breath. "S'okay. It's time to let things go, anyhow. We're practically family, anyhow. Wouldn't want a silly thing like a kiss to become between us, would we?"

Rory smiles. "Bye, Jess."

"By cous. Tell me how the talk with your mother goes."

She smiles again at how well he knows her; that, although she has not mentioned it, there will inevitably be a talk between she and her mother before the day is through. "Will do. I'll talk to you later. Look forward to telling me whatever it is you're writing when we meet up."

"Ah, geez, am I really? Whatever happened to not cursing things by having the writer talk about his book, before it's out of his pen?"

"Hey, you told me you couldn't have done the last book without me! The least I deserve is a little sneak peak in exchange. And be careful with your comparisons, there. I'm sure Ernest wrote with a pen and ink, but we live in the computer age, my friend. Anyone who isn't a typer and who is willing to subject themselves to the painful process of crossing things out by hand and then proceeding to type everything up when it's done has a serious death wish."

"Well, you'll just have to wait and see for yourself what I've written part of my manuscript with, won't you?"

"Looking forward to it."

She ends the call and grasps the phone tightly. It is a good few moments before she finds her footing and is able to get out of the bathroom stall.

"I'm out," says Rory, without glancing at the woman in front of her. She gasps when the woman takes her by the shoulders, and Rory finds herself looking into the face of her mother. Her heart skips a beat. "H-how did you find me?"

Lorelai gives her a wry smile. "Well, let's just say my little girl has a taste in fashion, because I was able to follow her red sweater all the way through the crowds to where we're standing right now."

"But…how much did you heard?"

"Oh, you know. Little snippets."

"So basically everything?"

"Basically everything starting from the Hemingway titles onwards, yes."

Rory's shoulders fall. Though she supposes she should feel more horrified that her mother (and half of the women in Harford) overheard her conversation, the truth is, she is too exhausted to summon up any more feelings. Her mother puts her arm around her and leads out of the rest room until they reach a fountain. Once they are sitting on the fountain's edge, Lorelai turns to her daughter and speaks.

"So, your first heartbreak, huh?"

Rory shrugs. "I've broken up with guys before, so I wouldn't say first, but the first time my heart broke before it even started, yeah." She reconsiders it. "Well, not counting crushes on celebrities or fictional characters or my crush on Kevin Wilson in ninth grade, but it was definitely my first since I entered the dating world."

Lorelai studies her for a long time. "Why didn't you _tell _me?"

Rory just shrugs again. Overcome by emotion (and perhaps pregnancy hormones, as talking to Jess always makes Rory a bit more cynical), Lorelai engulfs her in a hug. "Oh, sweets," she says softly. "I'm so, so sorry."

"It's not your fault," Rory says, patting her back. "I'm the one who didn't want to spoil your mood."

"Yes, but I should have sensed that you needed to talk. I've just been so preoccupied, and-I don't know what's gotten into me lately." She laughs. "What you said about me and Luke being like the couples we used to mock? You're totally right. We've gotten a little…_silly_ lately, and I'm sorry if we've made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you know how I am when I want to avoid thinking about things. I think part of the reason I have been so focused on the baby and the wedding is because I can't bear to think that you'll be gone, in just a few days again. This is the first time I've seen you since you left. I mean, I've seen _April _more than you. April, the same girl whose lack of role in my life is part of what broke Luke and me up last time! I love her too, but she's not you. I wasn't even there for your birthday. Even two years ago, when you were staying at your grandparents', we were at least were together for that." Her lip quivers slightly. "That's part of the reason I've been waking you up to talk about the wedding. The biggest thing in twenty three years is happening to me, and it's just so _wrong_ that you're not there to experience it with me."

"Twenty three years?" says Rory softly.

"Well, since the Bangles' first album came out, of _course_!" says Lorelai, rolling her eyes, and they both laugh.

"It'll get better, sweets," says Lorelai, once they have calmed down. "You know, I have complete faith that you can do this, but if you do want to quit to find a more permanent job, nothing's stopping you. As for Luke and me, I'm so sorry if you've ever felt like a stranger in your own house. You might be not be permanent there, but trust me, even if I have a thousand other babies, and you're off to Timbuktu or Fez or whatever, I'll always see you as a permanent resident."

"Yeah, I know," says Rory. "It's just-if it is a girl, can you promise me you won't name her Lorelai or anything?"

"Pinkie swear," says Lorelai, holding out her left pinkie. "You're my best friend and eldest, and nothing is going to change that. Though if my instincts are right-and trust me, I was right about you last time-it's Luke who's going to worry about his name being reused, not us. But as long as we're on that topic, can I ask _you _something?"

"Uh, sure," says Rory.

"Well, if something does happen on the Jess front-and you know, Hemingway titles aside, I could tell by the way you were talking to him that it was him, before you said his name-even if it's just a friend thing, you'll tell me, right? I may not have been waving a flag as the biggest Rory/Jess supporter, and I think you deserve to be in your twenties and not get weighed down by a serious relationship yet, but I don't want you to hold anything back from me." She grins a little. "Don't you dare tell Jess I said this, but as his aunt, I have the right to point out that he's grown up a little."

"Sure," says Rory, a little surprised. "So, you're okay with this?"

"Well, I still don't think I'll be getting out my Rory/Jess flag, even if it's just the friendship one, anytime soon, but I am also the picky bride, and I have the right to not want any drama on my wedding day. If this talking to Jess thing will help my Maid of Honor and Best Man be courteous towards each other, then I am definitely for it."

Rory laughs, thinking of the many particular brides, who had weddings at the Dragonfly and Independence over the years. It is hard to imagine her mother becoming like one of them-harder still to imagine her mother finally having a wedding, after all these years. Her elopement really didn't count. "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, hun."

As a silence falls over them-a silence that, just like Rory's silence with Jess, feels completely natural-Rory places her head on her mother's shoulder. Lorelai, in turn, puts her head over Rory's shoulder, so that both of their heads are tilted sideways in opposite directions. It is a gesture they have done since Rory was a little girl and have perfected over the years. Although so much has changed, the gesture still feels as comforting as ever. Rory feels herself smiling, aware that in spite of Luke, this baby, and any other children who might follow, this will never change.

"So, I have an idea," says Lorelai, sitting up and giving Rory's hand a squeeze. "Why don't we cut the food court idea and have lunch at Al's? I know we were both looking forward to it, but I'm really not looking forward to more Hartford traffic, and you're in a serious need of getting your Star Hollow fix while you're here. I need a few moments to regain myself before I make more disturbing goo-goo eyes at Luke anyway, so one of his rants about Al's after we finds out we were there just might do the trick. Then, after lunch, we can have a movie marathon with all the best movies with Thanksgiving scenes. It can be our prelude to our typical Christmas one next month."

"Okay, but if we're watching _Scent of a Woman_, then Al Pacino's going to make me want to watch at least one _Godfather _movie tomorrow."

"Any chance we can see Sofia's death scene?"

"But the third _Godfather _is the worst one!"

"Yes, but it's the only one Luke-" Lorelai stops, realizing what she has said. "The only one Luke hasn't seen yet," she finally mutters.

Rory hesitates. "Hey, Mom?"

"Yeah, hun?"

"Luke can be part of our movie night tomorrow, if you really want. I mean, you might be my best friend, but I love Luke, too."

"You sure?" says Lorelai. When Rory nods, her face softens. "Thanks, sweets. That really means a lot. I don't know if I'll be able to convince Luke to watch the third _Godfather_, since he's listened to me mock it many times, and he actually did really enjoy the first two, but I'll try. Now, what movie should we start our Thanksgiving marathon with tonight?"

"Well, we're going to need at least one musical, so _Holiday Inn _is a must. I don't know if we should watch that first, though; what do you think?"

"True. Well, there's always _Home for the Holidays_, which given you being here and the whole parents scene, seems pretty fitting. I might as well watch at least one movie about a single mother while I still can. I'm thinking _The Ice Storm _too, but we should probably also get in some Woody Allen by watching _Hannah and Her Sisters, _and if we're going to watch _Scent of a Woman _per your request, that's three dramas right there."

"Yeah, what is up with all these movies with Thanksgiving scenes being dramatic? I mean, yeah, I guess Thanksgiving is a depressing holiday when you consider that so many of the pilgrims died in that first winter, and we basically stole everything from the Indians, but Hollywood tends to ignore that part of it."

"A true curiosity," says Lorelai thoughtfully. They are beginning to make their way to the mall's exit. "It's too bad that a Hollywood producer wasn't there during our conversation about musicals and dictators last night. I'm telling you, a movie with Patti LuPone as Eva Mussolini or Emily Gilmore belting out 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina' would make a fortune."

"Yeah, cause everybody would understand our random joke about why Mussolini's wife should be named Eva, instead of Rachele."

"Don't mock the way our minds work! I'm sure if we told other people, they would be stunned at our cleverness."

Mother and daughter smile eat each other. True, a lot has changed between them in the last couple of years, but they are also slowly finding their rhythm with each other-a rhythm that might have changed, but will certainly remain in-tact throughout the years to come. It takes them a few minutes to realize that outside, it has begun to snow.


	8. Luke

Author's Note: Okay, so I'm looking on HarryPotterFanFiction (the separate site, not the archive here on fanfiction) for some Romione stories (the movie got me in the mood), and I unexpectedly stumble upon a story written for a _Gilmore Girls_ quote challenge. O.o I just think that was too weird not to share. I mean, what are the odds, right?

This is the first official Luke chapter! I have no idea how it's taken me so long, but here it is. I promise there are more Luke chapters to come.

Speaking of HP, slight rant on my decision for the baby's name (which you already know by now, seeing as my title doesn't leave room for much imagination, but anyway): I know everyone names LL's kid after his father. But, as shown in the last chapter of _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_, sometimes the "fanfiction" name is just what the main characters really would name their kid (I read so many fics about Harry naming his kids Lily and James before DH came out!). LL naming their son "Will" also relates to my own life, as I never knew either of my grandparents, and one of my cousins, Nathan, is also named after his grandfather. So, while I have seen fics where LL name their son equally cute things, I'm (unsurprisingly) going with "Will".

Thanks so much for the reviews for the last chapter-it was so interesting to read all of your opinions on Rory's reaction! I'm glad my chapter sparked some debate. For this chapter, I'm asking for a little help in my reviews. In a few chapters is the wedding chapter, and I'm having trouble deciding whether or not Luke would be the type of guy to wear a wedding band-I like the concept, but my own dad doesn't wear one, so I don't know. You can vote on the poll I made in my profile or answer in a view. I also need suggestions for Honeymoon destinations...I don't know that I'll actually write much about their Honeymoon, but it will be referenced, and nonetheless, whoever comes up with the best suggestion gets a shout out in my A/N...and maybe a surprise shout out in my chapter, if you tell me your first name (or a nickname or something). ;) Their wedding is in December, so something warm is definitely a possibility, but it needs to be someplace Luke would agree to and that wouldn't physically exert Lorelai during her pregnancy (she and Rory can't have their rollercoaster trip for a bit...). Looking forward to reading your suggestions! Anyway, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Luke

_"But Lorelai, you don't understand; I saw it with my parents. I saw how life can change in a blink of an eye, and how there's nothing you can do about it. Even if this baby and any more kids we may or may not have turn out to be all right, there's still April and Rory and me and you. What if something happens to me? I'm sure I have some gene for something, after the way both of my parents went. Or what if something happens to you? It definitely could, you know; I know you don't believe me, but that junk is bound to catch up to you eventually."_

_

* * *

_

Luke takes a few minutes to remember what day it is when he wakes up. His last memory is a comment Lorelai made about their wedding only being a month away and the night that followed as a result. It is not until he opens his eyes and glances at the alarm clock - 9:05 A.M. - that the reality that yesterday was November twenty-ninth, making today November thirtieth, hits.

Lorelai is already up, staring at him. Seeing that he is awake, she leans over and gives him a peck on the cheek. "Morning, babe. How did you sleep?"

Luke shrugs, still taken aback by today's current day on the calendar. "All right." He stares from Lorelai back to the clock, and the reason for his confusion finally dawns on him. "What are you doing still here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I'm staying with you today." Just as he is about to open his mouth to protest, she holds out her hand to stop him. "Luke, I know you're not good at accepting help from other people, but I want to be there for you today. You can even spend the whole day alone, if you want…I just want to be here, in case you need me."

Luke's mind flashes to holding her hair while she threw up the other morning. Even though Lorelai's morning sickness has not been too bad or frequent, it is still a foreign concept that especially during her pregnancy, she wants to take care of _him_. He is too tired and numb to really make much of an effort, but even today, he would feel better taking care of her than the other way around.

"You don't have to do that, really."

"But I want to," Lorelai says, looking into his eyes. "Babe, this is our first dark day as a real, established couple, and I wanted to do something. I mean, I know the last thing either of us wants to think of is last year, but I still feel guilty, thinking about how much it must have sucked for you." He stiffens slightly. "I know now that the year before, you were probably reacting to the April situation, and as for the year before that, well, I think we both remembered what happened then. The boat incident aside, things were still so new between us, and the bottom line is, things aren't anymore. Even if you want to use me as your sounding board, I'm here. Next year, I'll be here, taking care of the baby, maybe in two more years, we can take our kid to your cabin, but as for this year, this is where I'll be."

As she snuggles against him, he finds his gaze falling to her stomach. She is wearing one of his plaid shirts with a pair of black legging to ward off the cold, but in spite of the baggy shirt, he is starting to notice a hint of something there that wasn't there before. "You look different," he tells her. Lorelai's forehead crinkles, but she smiles when she sees what he is looking at.

"Yeah," she says softly. "I suppose I do."

Before Luke can respond, she jumps out of bed, almost kicking the blankets off of him in the process. "Hey, are you hungry? It's totally okay if you aren't, but otherwise, I have something for you. See, if I were a good Donna Reid kind of housewife-or fiancée, as the case may be-I would have gotten up at the crack of dawn to prepare breakfast for you-though personally, I needed some rest after last night." She waggles her eyebrows at him suggestively. "But as it goes, I got Sookie to buy some fresh grapefruit and berries and make fresh yogurt and granola for you. I figure it could be my dark day present to you to eat grapefruit without complaining."

She smiles at him, but Luke does not smile back, his heart aching as he remembers how his mother always used to make special breakfasts for the family. On Sunday mornings, she would always make a special meal of some sort; waffles or pancakes, French toast or omelets. In fact, helping her make them was part of Luke's unofficial training as a chef.

Lorelai is still watching him, and he forces himself to answer. "Yeah, breakfast would be great." He makes a movement to get out of bed and follow her, but she stops him, mischief shining in her eyes.

"You stay in bed, mister. I have an idea."

When she returns a few minutes later, she is carrying two bowls filled with granola and yogurt. Though it takes her a few more trips to also get the trays, grapefruit, and cups (he knows she is trying not to exert herself during pregnancy), eventually, she has laid everything out on the trays. After making sure he is watching, Lorelai takes a bite of grapefruit, her expression neutral as she attempts not to show the full extent of her revolt.

"Bon appetite," she says, trying to gag down the grapefruit. Even in his current mood, Luke cannot resist letting out a chuckle at the expression on her face. Lorelai laughs, too.

"Just you wait, Bucko!" she says, slapping him across the hand. "I'm going to finish the whole thing, whether you believe I can or not."

She does end up finishing it, but not without commenting that she is pretty sure the baby hates grapefruit as much as she does.

Aside from the grapefruit incident, their breakfast is quieter than normal. Luke's mind is on how hard he tried to restore Sunday breakfasts after his mother died, and in an uncharacteristic silence, Lorelai seems to be taking her cues from him. Finally, as Luke is on the last bites of his granola, Lorelai turns to him, her voice gentle and her expression serious.

"You know, if you want, we can go out to the cabin," she says. "I've never been before, and I'd really like to. I'll even go ice fishing with you, if you want."

Luke's reaction is immediate. "Absolutely not. The heat's not very good there, and I'm not going to let you freeze and endanger the baby."

"If I wear enough layers, I'll be fine," says Lorelai, looking a little taken aback by his reaction. "I don't want you to change your dark day routine just because of me."

Luke softens a little, thinking of how hard Lorelai has been trying to make this day as easy for him as possible. "Lorelai, I'll be fine," he says, finding her hand and giving it a squeeze. "Honestly, it's so cold out that I'd rather be here, anyway. I promise I'll take both you and the baby to the cabin in the summer, so that way the weather will be warmer. Maybe if April's visiting, she can come too."

She bites her lip, looking a little more reassured. "All right. Hey, do you want to watch a movie or anything? I know you probably just want to be alone with your thoughts, and that's okay too, but I thought in the off chance you wanted to distract yourself, a movie might help."

It is on the tip of Luke's tongue to say that he would rather be alone, but after glancing at Lorelai, it occurs to him she might have a point. He really has not gained anything by being alone in previous dark days, and it would be nice to spend time with Lorelai, who always manages to make him feel better. "Okay. We can watch a movie. I don't really care what we watch, as long as it's not that Duck movie again."

Lorelai's face lights up. "You got it. Okay, I'm just going to get changed, so I'm not all icky today. And don't be so quick to diss _Howard the Duck_. A duck from outer space has great mocking potential, don't you think?"

A glimmer of a smile crosses Luke's face, as he watches his fiancée wrinkle her brow in concentration, while trying to figure out the best outfit to wear for a day of vegging. Without so much as a second glance, Luke pulls out a pair of sweat pants and a plain white tee-shirt ("I think sometimes you just keep up the plaid for the sake of the public," Lorelai once told him), completely unconcerned with his own appearance.

By that afternoon, they have watched _Annie Hall, Bonnie and Clyde_, and are in the middle of _Breakfast At Tiffany's _(Luke has to admit Lorelai is right; the quirky Holly does remind him of Lorelai), when Lorelai falls asleep. Although Lorelai would normally consider such a thing unpardonable movie behavior, especially since this is at least the fourth time this has happened, she has been much more worn out as because of her pregnancy. After debating whether or not to turn the T.V. off, Luke decides to continue watching, stroking Lorelai's hair as the movie progresses. He is just in the middle of the part where Paul and Holly are at Tiffany's when the phone rings. After a slight hesitation, remembering Liz's and April's promise to call him, he pauses the movie and picks up the phone. Lorelai groans in her sleep as he gets up to take the phone elsewhere, then curls up against one of the couch cushions.

Luke sits down at the kitchen table. Making sure his voice is quiet, he says, "Hello?"

"Hey. How's it going?"

Luke almost drops the phone at the familiar voice. "R-Rachel?" he sputters. The slight pause confirms it.

"Well," she says at last, "I guess it's a good thing that even after almost seven years, I can call here and you still recognize me."

"But-what are you doing calling here?" Luke says, checking again to make sure he is using the home phone-not that it would make sense for Rachel to have his cell phone number either, seeing as he didn't even have a cell phone when Rachel last visited. "I mean, did you want to talk to Lorelai or something? Because you call here, and-"

Rachel laughs. "Luke, chill. I wanted to talk to you. I ate at this diner in Chicago last night, and it just, I don't know, made me remember what day it was tomorrow, so I thought I'd call you. If it helps any, I tried calling your home number first, but it was disconnected, so on a whim, I looked you up on Facebook, and that's how I found out you and Lorelai are engaged."

"Facebook?" Luke repeats, the name feeling especially foreign. Rachel laughs again.

"Don't worry, Luke, I know that if you have a Facebook, there's no way you go on it," Rachel says. "Judging by your profile, Lorelai's the one who's keeping it updated for you, as there's no way you would have ever allowed a picture of you in shorts and a tee-shirt to be put up on the Internet, let alone admit to everyone that you're a Parrot Head in your bio. The caption on your profile picture is a hoot, though. Something about you being a captain of the ship you're on, and some nod to Lorelai, about you showing your lady the seas."

Luke groans. "I thought I told Lorelai not to make me a profile on that stupid site!"

"Hey, it was funny," Rachel says, and he hits his head with his palm, wondering why both his fiancée and ex-girlfriend have to be in agreement about this. "Don't worry, though. I'm sure anyone with half a brain cell would know you're not the one who made the site. The part of your profile that was open to the public did, however, give me some information. Something about your children being a girl named April Nardini and then another, no doubt also made by Lorelai, with a picture of a sonogram, called Baby No-Name Danes?"

"Um, yeah," Luke says, swallowing. "About that, Rachel-"

"Don't worry, Luke," Rachel says, cutting him off. "As soon as I saw that, I got a hunch and called the diner. I know you're usually closed today, but I figured things might have changed. Your waitress Lane answered-speaking of which, I couldn't believe it when I found out she had twins; I can still remember her as that sixteen-year-old girl who was always with Rory–and she filled me in on what's been happening with you over the years. She told me to call you here, so I did." She laughs slightly. "Hey, Luke, were you listening at all when I told you not to take your time?"

"I guess I should have listened a little more closely," Luke grudgingly admits, thinking back to the rollercoaster ride of Lorelai's and his relationship over the years. He can knows Rachel is smiling by the tone of her next statement.

"Well, that's not really important now. The first thing I wanted to do, after I heard everything that's been happening, is to congratulate you. This-you and Lorelai, and being such a great father in such a short time to that girl-it's amazing, Luke. I was going to call with the intention of giving you some long melancholy speech about my memories of your father, but instead I have to say, your father would have been proud of you."

Luke feels his heart lightening considerably. "You think?" Rachel's answer comes almost immediately.

"I do," she says seriously. "I have a photo shoot coming up for some stunt on politicians in Chicago, so I can't talk to you as long as I wanted, but I just wanted to tell you that."

"Oh, hey, speaking of Chicago politicians, Rory's actually following Obama's campaign, doing articles for this online magazine called _The Critical Observer_. Maybe you'll run into her someday."

"Yeah, Lane mentioned something about that. That's great. Who knows, maybe I'll do photos for one of her articles someday."

"It's a small world."

"Yeah."

"You know, if you want, you're invited to Lorelai's and my wedding," Luke says, before Rachel can disconnect. "I mean, I know you're probably going to be doing a shoot somewhere or something, but I'm sure Lorelai wouldn't mind. I guess Lane probably also told you that Lorelai opened up the Dragonfly, the inn you led her to, and that's where we're having it, on December twenty-ninth. You'd be free to bring a guest."

"Well, I'm not sure if my boyfriend would appreciate that, going as my date to my ex-boyfriend's wedding," Rachel says, and Luke lets out a breath, relieved she has found someone, "but thanks. I'll…I'll think about it. Either way, I do hope I get a chance to see what Lorelai's done with the Inn and to meet your next kid and your daughter someday."

"Well, if you do decide to come, you know where to reach us," Luke says, the words "us" easily expelling from his mouth. "Bye, Rachel. Good luck on the photo shoot."

"Thanks, Luke. Good luck to you, too." She pauses for a second, before her voice becomes softer. "Just so you know, I'm really happy for you. You got what you wanted, you know?"

He glances into the family room and finds a smile tugging at his mouth as he looks at Lorelai. She is hugging the cushion now, mumbling softly in her sleep. His heart melts at the sight of her tousled hair and that slight, slight bump beneath her red penguin sweater. "Yeah," he says quietly. "I guess I did."

The phone call ends a few moments later.

Although Luke planned to watch the end of _Breakfast at Tiffany's_ after his talk with Rachel, he instead finds himself returning to the couch and opening Lorelai's laptop. She is signed into her Facebook account, so after some quick maneuvering, finding his profile is not difficult. He groans when he sees it. In addition to the ridiculous profile picture and "About Me" section, Lorelai has added an entire photo album of his most embarrassing pictures: yelling at Kirk, dressed in a tee-shirt while visiting April, having a facedown with Taylor at a town meeting, and falling asleep in the middle of a movie night. She has even added something calling Bumper Stickers and put two on his profile: one of a man delivering coffee and the other of _Star Trek'_s Spock, his pointed ears especially magnified. Still, nothing is as bad as the comments on his profile picture from Lorelai, Babette, and Miss Patty, all implying about his skills in bed. April has responded with a one word comment: "EWWW!"

After checking out April's profile, a much more conservative page that April seems to have created to keep in touch with her Connecticut friends, Luke looks up Baby No-Name Danes' profile. Instantly, he finds a smile gracing his face. Lorelai has truly outdone herself on this page. In addition to the profile picture is a photo album, which includes all the sonogram pictures. All of Stars Hollow has commented on the baby's wall, writing about how excited they are to meet him or her and speculating about the baby's gender. Curious, he heads over to the baby's Info section and reads the "About Me" section.

_Hi, my name is Baby No-Name Danes. Mommy and Daddy don't know my gender yet, so deciding on a name would be impossible. Hopefully, Daddy will not be stubborn as a certain vegetable seller and will allow Mommy to find out my gender (Mommy would like to tell Jackson that she is talking about him here). I am due in June where I will be born to my daddy, Luke Danes, and my mommy, Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, who would like to announce to everyone that she is officially adding "Danes" as part of her name. My daddy owns a diner, where he makes the best coffee and hamburgers in Stars Hollow. My parents actually met because of my daddy's wonderful coffee, even though my mommy cannot have any of it now, because even though studies have shown that pregnant women CAN drink coffee in moderation, my daddy doesn't trust that mommy will agree to the "in moderation" part-or with the studies, for that matter. My mommy owns the very successful Dragonfly Inn with her best friend Sookie and encourages anyone coming to the area to stay there. My mommy and daddy knew each other for eight years before Daddy had the courage to ask out Mommy, and finally, after three more years of ups and downs, their dream is coming true, and they are having me. They will be married on December 29__th__ at my mommy's inn. If you have been invited, please RSVP immediately. In addition to my mommy and daddy, I also have two big sisters, Rory and April. They are both geniuses, and I hope I will be as smart as they are when I am older. I also have a big brother, Paul Anka, but he is a dog, and as a result, my daddy does not consider him a child, but Mommy and I disagree. I will be updating this profile more and more as I continue to grow inside Mommy. I hope you enjoy my profile, and please drop me a comment if you do._

Luke feels his eyes sparkling when he sees the status update besides Baby No-Name's name: "I love my daddy. XOXOXOXO." It was updated the previous day, at around eighteen hours ago. Out of all the things Lorelai has done for him that day, Luke is the most touched by this comment. Knowing that he wouldn't want the real reason for his dark day broadcasted around Facebook and even that he probably wouldn't see this status, she did it not for reciprocation, but for the good for her own heart. He blinks hard at this realization, and the real reason for his dark day starts to sink in again.

It takes Luke a few moments to realize that Lorelai has begun to stir. She sits up a few minutes later, her tone groggy as she sweeps a stray hair out of her face. "Luke?" She blinks rapidly noticing what he is looking at, then looks over at the screen. "H-how did you find that?"

"Rachel." Seeing Lorelai's frown, he says, "While you were sleeping, she called to congratulate us, cause she found it on Facebook, and…anyway, it's not important." He closes the laptop screen, before turning to his fiancée. "Lorelai, are you sure it's a good idea to have a Facebook account for our baby? I mean, you did a really good job, don't get me wrong, but what if something happens? What if it's a stillborn or you miscarry and we have this up as a constant reminder?"

Lorelai laughs slightly. "I _knew _you'd say that if you ever found out." Putting her hand on top of his, she meets his gaze. "Luke, I don't know what to say to you. I could tell you that I have a good feeling about this and that I know for a fact in six months, our baby's gonna come out, completely fine, and that that the doctor thinks I'm healthy too, but we both know that I don't know. I just have a good feeling. But the way I see it, is that even if something _does_ happen, at least we got a few months of happiness, you know?"

"But aren't you worried about bringing down all of these other people who are excited about the baby if something happens or-or cursing it?"

"Luke, I don't believe in cursing things. Well, that's a lie; I guess a part of me does, but you have to look at this outside of your pessimism from your dark day, too. So it doesn't happen." Her voice trembles slightly, but she swallows and continues talking. "That would be horrible, obviously, it would be the worst thing ever, but even if it doesn't happen, our lives aren't going to end. On December twenty-ninth, no matter what happens, we're still going to get married, and if we do face something together-either this, or something else-we're going to be open and talk to each other about it, because not talking is what screwed us up before, and I'll be damned if anything like that happens again. I want _you_, Luke." She leans her head against his shoulder and tightens her free arm around him. "Everything else is just really wonderful icing on an already magnificent cake."

"I know," says Luke softly. "But Lorelai, you don't understand; I _saw_ it with my parents. I saw how life can change in a blink of an eye, and how there's nothing you can do about it. Even if this baby and any more kids we may or may not have turn out to be all right, there's still April and Rory and me and you. What if something happens to me? I'm sure I have some gene for something, after the way both of my parents went. Or what if something happens to you? It definitely could, you know; I know you don't believe me, but that junk is bound to catch up to you eventually."

"Luke, you need to look at this under brighter lenses," Lorelai says, tightening her grip around him. "I know you're sad today, but you're getting all worked up over nothing. Trust me, Luke. We're two healthy people, with two healthy girls, and we do things like make sure we go to the doctor accordingly. I could say the same thing, that I'm at risk because of what's happened to my dad, but I'm not going to, okay? Just be grateful for the little things. Like me actually eating a grapefruit today. Or that way back then, there was Audrey Hepburn, a glamorous actress, who far succumbs the beauty of anyone Hollywood has whipped up today." She points at the still frozen T.V., where Holly is smiling on the screen. "Look at that. Holly's had a crazy life, but she's happy here, you know? We should all use such an example. I mean, without the sometimes drinking and the marrying for money, but you know." She notices he is grinning at her. "What?"

"I was just thinking that the only person I know who is crazier than Holly is you," Luke says, a genuine smile on his face. Lorelai pretends to be annoyed, but he can tell she is relieved by the life in his comment.

"You just watch, burger boy. In just a month, you're going to be married to me, and then who's going to be calling who the crazy one?" She points to the remote. "Now come on. Let's watch the end of this. I want to cry when Holly pushes Cat out of the cab and cry when she finds Cat again."

Lorelai does cry along with Audrey Hepburn at the end of the movie. More emotional than usual on account of hormones, she makes a promise to Paul Anka that she will never do such a thing to him. But she also relaxes into Luke's arms at the very end and smiles when he kisses the top of her head.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon goes fairly quickly. They watch _Hannah and Her Sisters_ (a leftover from Lorelai and Rory's Thanksgiving marathon), _Last Tango in Paris_, and the first _Godfather_. None of the movies have anything to do with each other, atypical of Lorelai's movie marathons, but even she does not seem bothered by this. Aside from a few phone calls from Liz and April and getting lunch, they are completely glued to the couch.

By the time _The Godfather _has ended, it is well into the evening. Luke stretches and is about to ask Lorelai if she is hungry when he finds her looking at him. Putting her hand on top of his, she says quietly, "I want to meet your parents."

It takes Luke a few moments to realize what she means. "You mean right now?" he sputters finally. Nodding, she looks him in the eye.

"Luke, I think it's the right time. I'd feel bad if you couldn't do any of your normal dark day activities because of me, and though I've had a good time, I don't want to completely steal away your reason for a dark day in the first place. Besides, I really want to do this." Her eyes are wide with uncharacteristic seriousness. "I think you and I are in the place where doing this is necessary in our relationship, and this way, they can meet their grandchild too." Smiling, she rubs her stomach. "We don't have to go if it's too painful, but-well, I really want to."

He frowns at her, making sure that she is serious. "You're sure?" he asks. Her eyes do not leave his face as she nods. He sighs. "Okay, then. Just make sure you bundle up really tightly. I'll get a piece of pizza from the refrigerator for you to eat on the way."

When he meets her at the door, she is wearing the same red coat and white hat that she wore while they were breaking the bells. "I just wanted a chance to wear some of my old outfits while I'm still able to fit into them," she says coyly, and he resists the urge to roll his eyes. She smiles as she takes the piece of pizza, and they step into Luke's truck.

Stars Hollow seems less crowded that day. Perhaps it is because of the extreme cold, but no one even nudges each other when they see Luke's truck approaching. After a short drive, they reach the cemetery. Luke helps Lorelai out of the truck, and they stand there for a minute. "Wow," says Lorelai softly, glancing at all of the graves. "I don't think I've ever been here while it's dark before. It looks so different at night. All of these graves, just…wow. Stars Hollow has such a history, you know?"

"Come on, I have a flashlight."

She follows Luke to the Danes section. The truth is, even though it is completely dark, Luke does not need his flashlight; he hasn't been to the cemetery in a while, but after years of coming here, he has memorized the directions. Finally, they reach the location.

"Here it is," Luke says, pointing his flashlight at the graves in question.

"Oh, yeah," says Lorelai. "I remember coming here now when your uncle Louie was buried. I didn't really look around there, though. Huh." Her gaze drifts down to the graves in question. "Wow. Your mother has such a pretty grave. I love the flower engraved here."

"Yeah, there's actually an interesting story about that. My dad was so swamped from hospital expenses that he didn't think he'd be able to afford anything besides a basic headstone, but Mia and Buddy and Maisy got together to get her something nicer."

Lorelai smiles. "That's so nice."

"Yeah, they were all really great after my mother died. I just wished Liz would have opened up to them more. Maybe things would have been different, you know?"

"Luke, you need to stop blaming yourself for Liz's childhood. Maybe things could have been different, but Liz is all right now. I mean, I won't pretend that I'll ever understand her taste in guys, but she's doing fine now. It's okay."

"I guess. And anyway, here's my dad's."

"William Henry Danes," Lorelai reads off the headstone. "Committed father and husband." She looks at Luke. "William Henry. I like it."

"Henry was my great-grandfather. I guess you're not the only family who likes naming people after family."

"No, I guess not." She looks at the graves again, before glancing back up at Luke. "Do you mind if I say a few things?"

Luke shrugs. "Be my guest."

Lorelai takes Luke's hand and gives it a squeeze through her white glove. Looking up at the starry night, she speaks.

"William and Katharine, I thought I'd introduce myself. I mean, uh, if it's true that you guys really do look down at us the whole time, as I'm sure you've been watching over Luke and Liz, then you know I am, but I thought a formal introduction would be good. Anyway, my name is Lorelai Gilmore, and I'm love with your son." She laughs slightly. Luke almost stops holding her hand, startled by her comment, but Lorelai grips it firmer.

"I know, I know, odd way to start this, but I've been thinking a lot, and I think one of the reasons things didn't work out so well between Luke and me last time is because we didn't tell each other that enough. I mean, actions speak louder than words and all, and we certainly showed it-I know, I know, dirty, but I didn't just mean that-but I don't think we said it enough. So I've decided that as my new resolution, I'm gonna say it at least once a day." She squeezes his hand again. "I love your son.

"I've been thinking a lot lately about when I first figured out I was in love with him, and the truth is, I don't know. I don't think it was like in, oh, _Sleepless in Seattle_, where Meg Ryan heard Tom Hanks' son's voice, and bam, she just knew. I think it was more a lot of little things over the years that made me think, _Hey. This Luke Danes here is one hecka good guy_. I've known your son for a little over a decade now, and in that time, I've learned that he's the kindest, truest, more honest man I've ever had the fortune to meet. You know, all that time before Luke and I got together, I always thought, _Damn, why can't I find a man like Luke?_ It took me a little longer to realize it was _Luke_ I was in love with, and I'm ashamed that once I did, we still didn't handle things all that well, but things are steady between us now, and I don't plan to ever let him go.

"We're gonna have our wedding on December twenty-ninth, and I can't tell you how much I wish you guys could be here. Just from the way Luke talks about you alone, I know that you were really good people, and I wish you could be there to meet April and my daughter, Rory, Doula, and even Jess, Katharine-who, even I have to admit, has grown up a lot. I mean, yeah, he's still snarky, and I'm not sure how I feel about Rory and him getting closer again, but I respect Luke's choice for making him Best Man.

"This is probably selfish, and I'm not saying I think April, Jess, and Doula are any less deserving, but I have to admit that most of all, I wish you could meet Luke's and my baby. He or she is due this June, and we don't know the gender yet, though I guess maybe you two probably do. See, our baby's going to have grandparents, and even though I've had my own issues with my parents, I know that they're going to love our baby just as much as they love Rory, which is an awful, awful lot, but I wish he or she could have you, too. It just seems so wrong that you couldn't have been here longer, and I wish you could see Liz and Luke now, because you'd be so proud of them. Katharine, even Luke says April looks so much like you, and…well, I have a feeling you'd love your newest grandchild too. That's just a hunch, since I have no idea what he or she is going to be like, but hey, I'm this baby's mother, and I know that no matter who he or she turns out to be, he or she is going to be pretty darn special.

"I also want to ask something of you. Yeah, yeah, I guess I should be taking this up with God, but the truth is, I'm probably not as religious as a person as the Reverend would want me to be, and I'd feel better asking you. See, Luke's still worried that after what happened with you two that something's gonna happen-like a miscarriage or stillbirth or something, or that he's going to get sick or that maybe that I am. Now, I know shit happens, and there really isn't anything anyone can do about it, but I just want to say, Luke doesn't deserve that. He's already grieved enough, and especially with him being robbed of April's childhood, he deserves to be completely there for this baby and any more that might follow. And hell, I'm being selfish, because really, I don't think I could live without Luke either, and hey, no offense, death doesn't good right now, but if you could just watch out for us, I'd really appreciate it. Even if you can't be looking after us at all times, at the least, please look out for the baby. He or she is a lot more helpless and fragile than Luke and I are-than even April and Rory are, but if you could, you could definitely look after them, too. I know things are gonna be all right, but I wouldn't mind just a push in the right direction, you know?

"Anyway, thank you for listening to me. As Luke would tell you, sometimes I have the tendency to over ramble, so I'm sorry if I talked your ears off…well, I don't know if ears can hurt in death, but you know what I mean. Like I said, I really love your son, and well, I really wish you were here. I don't think this will be the last time I'll talk to you, cause I really liked being here, and like I said, you're probably with us all the time anyhow, so I wouldn't have to go to your graves to talk, but just in case…I'll talk to you next time. Beware of that Louie, and make sure God isn't forgetting about the whole world peace thing. Yeah, I know, you shouldn't question God, but I'm sure God's really busy, so I'm sure a little nudge wouldn't hurt. Anyway, thanks again for what you did with Luke, cause believe me, he's a great guy. He's one-of-a-kind, that Luke. And sometimes, I still have to pinch myself to remind myself that I have him."

Before Lorelai can say anything else, Luke stops her by taking Lorelai into his arms and kissing her. It is certainly different from anything he imagined-kissing near her parents' graves-but it also feel strangely right. Lorelai puts her arms around him, and she is so close that he can feel the racing of her heartbeat.

"You know," he says, when they break away, "when I was younger, I used to want that-to have the same love my parents had. They were always so stable with each other, so comfortable, and I wanted that. Then, my mother died, and I saw the way my dad grieved and then the thing happened with Rachel, and I was so confused…until I met you, that is. I can't believe I have you, either." Tenderly, Luke takes Lorelai's hands into his own. "You're right that we need to say it more. I'm not very good at it either, but we need to try. Especially if we're gonna set an example for the baby." Putting his forehead against hers, he says softly, "It's not just for the baby, though. I love you, too."

A cold gust of air whips past them. Luke is still sad. He wishes desperately that his parents could have met Lorelai and Rory and April and this baby, and he misses his childhood memories of his parents. Yet he also finds himself remembering everything Lorelai did for him to begin with, and Liz's, April's, and Rachel's calls, and even the silly comments on No-Name Danes' Facebook. Even Rory texted him today, a silly text about a guy on the campaign who also likes the Red Sox, but she was saying, without so many words, that she is thinking about him. Luke knows it is awfully clichéd, but right now, he is grateful for the people he shares life with.

Luke kisses Lorelai again. Taylor would deem making out in a graveyard unbelievably disrespectful, but he knows he is where he needs to be.

* * *

Later in bed, just as Luke is about to fall asleep, Lorelai prods him awake. "Luke?" She smiles apologetically and shrugs, a shy look on her face. "Uh, I know you're almost asleep, but I had an idea for the baby's name, a serious one, in fact, and, well, I thought you'd like to hear it."

This comment is enough to wake Luke up. "What is it?" he says, half expecting her to still be pressing Bono. Lorelai shrugs again.

"Well, I just kept thinking about how your dad got his middle name from his grandfather and how I got my name from my grandmother, too. I definitely don't aspire to be like my grandmother in every way, but I just think it's a nice tradition, you know? Naming someone after someone. Rory's even said that someday if she has a daughter, she might use 'Lorelai' as part of her name, too. So I thought-well, you can totally veto the name, but I'd really like to, and I thought-well, if it's a boy, would you be opposed to naming him after your father?"

"William?" Luke asks, startled by this suggestion. Looking down at the comforter, Lorelai nods.

"I know that thinking of your father every time you call your son might lead to some painful memories. But babe, you've got so many good memories with your father, too. And when I call my son, there's nothing I would like better than to remember this wonderful man I've heard so much about. If it's a girl, we can talk about Katharine, but I really have a feeling it's going to be a boy, and…just think about it, okay?"

Luke looks at his fiancée and finds himself blown away, for the thousandth time, that fate has given him this beautiful, thoughtful woman in his life. The memory of his father is still painful, but he also recognizes that he needs to move on from the pain. "I'll think about it," he says, and he is surprised to realize that he means it.

Lorelai grins. "Thanks, babe. I promise you won't be sorry."

"You know," says Luke, after a few moments of silence have passed between them, "even though he was called Will occasionally, my father was mostly 'William' or 'Bill' and….well, if we did name him William, at least then he wouldn't be completely identified with my dad. And I've always liked the nickname. That's all."

A soft smile comes over Lorelai's face. "Will," she says quietly. "I like it too." Then, before Luke can protest that he hasn't made a final decision on the name or that the baby could very well be a girl, Lorelai's hand rests on her stomach. Softly, she says, "Goodnight, little Will. Your daddy and I love you. Sleep tight. We'll see you as soon as we wake up."

She leans into him and closes her eyes. And as Luke strokes her hair, he can almost feel his parents smiling from above.


	9. Rory & April 1

Author's Note: Sorry for the wait. This ended up being a crazy chapter to write...I was going to skip ahead and write the next chapter, but then one of my later chapters got too crowded, and, well, I had to go back and write this as a filler chapter. This is the daughters' reactions to their parents' marriage. It skips about another month in the future, in the days leading up to the wedding. I pretty much came up with an answer to Luke and the "ring" question (see my last author's note), but I'm still struggling over Honeymoon locations, so suggestions are welcome! Then again, maybe I'll just get lazy and bring them back to the Vineyard...

Also, it's another two parter. What can I say, I write long chapters! The next chapter should be up in the next day or so.

P.S. I forgot to mention that there is some political talk in this chapter. The last thing I want to do is get into a political debate about whether the country would be better under a different president, but I think we can all agree that Obama is probably where Rory's vote lie. So, since I don't feel comfortable sharing my particular political opinion, the mentioned thoughts are Rory's, not necessarily my own.

* * *

Rory & April (Part 1)

_"Dad loves you too, Rory. You should hear the way he talks about you-I'm not the only one he's proud of. And while I still think Mom was totally wrong about everything, maybe it's also true that Dad wouldn't have been the same with me if he hadn't had the experience with you first."_

_

* * *

_

At the end of second grade, April found herself facing a predicament. For the first time since she had started school, she found herself faced with making a Father's Day present. Ordinarily, April was able to avoid this, as Father's Day came after school had let out for the summer, but this year's teacher was different. Mrs. Penn, a young, blonde woman with two small children of her own, was adamant that Father's Day not be forgotten. After giving the class of a whole speech about the reasons her husband was important in her life (most of which, April thought privately, were horrible sexist), Mrs. Penn told her students that it was not their fathers' faults that Father's Day was not apart of the normal school year. For homework, they were required to bring in a favorite picture for their father, and the next afternoon, they would set to work decorating Father's Day frames.

Needless to say, April was not in a good mood when the day had finished. As she worked on her math homework on a table at her mother's store, April kept getting distracted from the topic of fractions. Her mother, who was reorganizing her display window, noticed.

"April, are you all right?" she said, when April heaved a sigh for at least the twentieth time that afternoon.

"Not really." April readjusted her glasses, then pushed her math homework away from her. "I'm just mad at Mrs. Penn, that's all."

Anna raised an eyebrow. "Did she refuse to let the girls carry things in from her car, again?"

"Not today, though that is pretty annoying too," April said. "No, today she wants us all to bring in pictures of ourselves, and tomorrow afternoon, instead of having a science and history lesson, we're going to be working on Father's Day frames and cards. Mrs. Penn thinks that just because Father's Day is after school is out, fathers shouldn't be neglected."

Anna's whole expression changed. April was too focused on her own feelings to really look at her mother, but if she had, she would have seen the slight fear in her eyes.

"You know, you could always make one for your Uncle Rex," Anna suggested after a slight pause. "I'm sure he would love that."

April sighed again. "That's what I would have done, but you don't know Mrs. Penn. If I do, she's just going to ask me lots and lots of questions. I wish I could just make something without her sticking her nose into something that's not her business."

"I can talk to her, if you like," Anna said, watching her closely.

April shrugged. "No, it's okay. I'll figure something out." She glanced at the items her mother was arranging in the window. "You should put that blue necklace next to the blue handbag. The blues look good together."

For the first time since April had brought up her Father's Day assignment, Anna smiled. "That's a good idea. You know, I think I'll leave this display until you're done with your homework, so you can help me."

Though April had seriously considered making the card for her uncle and even giving another gift to her mother-her mother who was, in a manner of speaking, both parents wrapped into one-by the time the next afternoon arrived, she had changed her mind. She did have a father. Maybe as far as she knew, her father wasn't even aware of her existence, but it did take both a sperm and egg to create a child (she was, of course, focusing on what happened when the sperm and egg were combined, not the act that had combined the egg and the sperm in the first place). She did have a father, even if she didn't know him. It wasn't as though she had been born in a petri dish (and even if she had, sperm would have still been necessary). Her mother wasn't a flatworm, which had both male and female parts (though it still took two flatworms to reproduce). Instead, once upon a time, Anna Nardini had met April's father. April wasn't ready to think about exactly _what _had transpired between the two of them, but she could not ignore it, either. There was no use pretending she did not have a father, because it was simply not true.

In spite of her initial reluctance about the project, April ended up spending more time on this particular art project than any other art project in the past. Ignoring her friends' questions about what she was planning to do with the picture frame (they knew, though Mrs. Penn had never asked, that April's father was not in the picture), April worked. Instead of placing glitter on the frame as many of the girls in her class had done, April painted it with red and green acrylic paint. April did not know her father, but she doubted any self-respecting man would appreciate glitter.

While April waited for the paint on the frame to dry, she worked on her card. This was more difficult. April was not exactly confident in her artistic abilities, so she had snagged a note card from home. The note card was soft blue with an illustrated picture of a sun on it (April was not about to use the pink-and-purple note card set that she had received from her grandmother for her last birthday), but at any rate, it was a lot neater than a construction paper card would have been. After biting her pencil's eraser for a few minutes, April began to write.

_Dear Dad,_

_You don't know me but my name is April. I am your daughter _[April had asked Mrs. Penn how to spell the word, as she was better at science than spelling]_. I am 8 and in the 2__nd__ grade. I live in Woodbridge, CN and I like science, reading and swiming. Out of everything I like science the best. It is Father's Day so I thought of you. I hope you are well. I don't know your adress but if you get this could you write back? I will put my adress on the anvelope._

_WBS (that means "Write Back Soon")._

_From, _

_-April_

After checking the letter over for typos (April knew that this was the next step after writing something, but she naturally missed over all of them), April placed the note card in an envelope and sealed the flap with her tongue. Then, after putting her address on the envelope's front right corner (she had put her return address in the wrong side, but she would not realize it until years later), April simply addressed the letter to "DAD". She could worry about the specifics of his address later.

Once the picture frame had dried, April wrote "To Dad" at the top of the frame in black, permanent marker. At the bottom of the frame, she wrote, "From April, 6/1/01". Her mother always added the date when she wanted to document anything, so April had decided to do the same. That way, even many years later, April's dad would always know the exact date April had made his gift.

Selecting the picture had been difficult. April obviously had no pictures of she and her father, so instead, she had simply selected that year's school picture. April had figured that at the very least, the picture would give her father an idea of what she looked like. She hoped he would appreciate all of the effort she had put into his gift.

Needless to say, April's gift never made it to her father. April bringing home the picture frame had caused a huge fight between Anna and April, which had lead to her mother telling her the so-called "truth": her father was a toxic bachelor who disliked kids, and to him, April would have only been a nuisance. The next year, when April was once again required to make a Father's Day present, she followed her mother's previous suggestion and made one for her Uncle Rex. Although her uncle appreciated the gift, April still felt a nagging feeling about giving it to him. She ended up rereading her letter from the last year and looking at the picture frame, before returning the gift to the back of her closet. Outwardly, April continued to believe her mother that she was better off without him, but inside, she wondered. Even if her father really did hate children, wouldn't things have been different with his own kid?

It would be four and a half years until April finally came face-to-face with the man who had aided in April's creation.

* * *

April is nervous on the ride to Bradley International Airport. Though she has worshiped Rory from afar since practically the day she met her (Yale is, after all, a huge accomplishment), she still does not know Rory that well. Because of the Obama campaign, she has yet to spend time with Rory, Lorelai, and her dad together. She has seen Rory around town a few times last year, but that was during Lorelai and her dad's infamous breakup. This time is completely different.

"Hey April, are you feeling okay?" her dad asks, interrupting Lorelai from a ramble about comparing the two _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_'s. It is Christmas Eve, a Monday, and though April has been in Connecticut since Saturday, Rory hasn't been able to get a flight until today.

April shrugs. By now, both Lorelai and Luke are looking at her in the rearview mirror, but April doesn't know what to say. How can she explain how nervous is about finally having the chance to talk to Rory "Perfect" Gilmore, her idol in so many ways? April doesn't even get nervous very often. Though she was nervous on her first day of high school and when she started school in New Mexico, she is usually undaunted by people. She didn't even felt so nervous the first day she and her dad spent after her science project. But somehow, this is different. She has no idea what Rory thinks of her, and she isn't sure she wants to find out.

"I'm fine," April says, trying to sound convincing. "Go on talking about _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_. You've definitely convinced me to watch both versions. I mean, so far I've only watched the Mara Wilson one, but the Natalie Wood one sounds even more awesome."

"Oh, it's always hard to beat the original," Lorelai says, then hesitates. "Are you sure you're all right, though? You've been awfully quiet. Not that anyone can compete with me in terms of the talking department, but you come pretty close for not being a Gilmore."

"I'm fine," April says. "Go back to your analysis. I'm having fun listening."

Luke and Lorelai exchange looks, but Lorelai continues talking about _Miracle on 34__th__ Street _(before switching to comparing the _A Christmas Carol _versions-including the Disney one, her favorite), without further protest. They arrive at the airport a few minutes later.

After checking the flight board and discovering that Rory's flight is running about twenty minutes later, Lorelai drags April into a nearby shop with Hartford merchandise. Ignoring Luke's protests that April will already be receiving plenty of presents the next day, Lorelai motions around them. "The world is your oyster, kid," she says, pointing to the various Hartford sweatshirts, pajamas, and pens. "Anything you want is on me-no wicked stepmother guilt trips, I promise."

April smiles, forgetting her nerves for the time being. "Thanks, but if your offer still stands, I'd rather stop off at Le Chat Club and get something later."

Her father looks at her in disbelief. "Le Chat Club? April, are you kidding me?"

"I was telling my friend Stacey all about it, and she wanted some evidence," April says with a shrug. "Besides, it's not like I'm actually staying in Hartford. If I'm in Stars Hollow, I want a souvenir, and Le Chat Club seems like the perfect place."

Luke is still staring at him, but Lorelai grins. "A girl after my own heart!" As she begins to look in a new direction, her eyes widen. "Ooh, look, they have Hartford baseball caps! Luke, we should buy you one! It might give Rory the illusion that you've actually changed since Thanksgiving, instead of staying exactly the same!"

Luke rolls his eyes. "Yeah, cause I've definitely changed in the past month since we saw her."

"Well, if neither of you are getting anything, then I am," Lorelai says decidedly. She picks out a bright pink Hartford baseball cap and holds it up to her head. "What do you think? I've been thinking that wearing a backwards baseball cap could be like wearing a red tie to match your date's red prom dress or something. That way, whenever Luke and I are together, everyone will know that he's my man."

"I think that people will already know that by your wedding rings," says a familiar voice, and the three of them turned around to see Rory Gilmore, standing in the store's doorway, a small duffel bag swung over her shoulder.

Lorelai does not wait a second. "Rory!" she shrieks, rushing to embrace her daughter, still holding the pink baseball cap. Rory, a huge smile on her face, hugs her back just as eagerly. Lorelai steps back, almost bouncing from excitement. "What are you doing here? I thought your flight was going to be late! I haven't completely lost track of time, have I?"

"Apparently, the flight boards here are all screwed up," Rory says, rolling her eyes. "There were two flights coming in from Chicago, and I guess they got them mixed up. I tried texting you, but your phone must have been off or something. I was on the way to baggage claim when I saw you here."

"My phone is not off," Lorelai protests, but she frowns when she opens her phone and sees that the screen is dark. April and Luke are still watching, April's own heart pounding quicker. "Well, do you mind if I pay for my hat first? You guys can get a move on, but I definitely think this hat is the one. Rory, you're welcome to a Hartford souvenir, too."

"Thanks, but all those Hartford gifts you got me after I came back from D.C. right before my senior year were good enough," Rory says dryly. She glances behind her mom and gets a good look at Luke and April for the first time. "Luke, April, hi! It's so good to see you!" She reaches out to embrace Luke. "You've been watching out for my mom, haven't you? Making sure she's been eating right, and that my future sibling isn't endangered?"

"I've been trying to," Luke says, grinning back. Lorelai, who is paying for her hat, turns around and glares at him.

After stepping away from Luke, Rory turns her attention to April. April is feeling intimidated, seeing how well-dressed Rory is. April's puffy purple coat is nothing like Rory's stylish black coat. Her mother has a good sense in fashion, but she has yet to accept that fourteen-year-old girls don't get most of their clothes from independent clothing shops, let alone Limited Too.

Even though they don't know each other, Rory hugs her too. "And as for you, it's been too long! We're gonna be stepsisters! How about it?"

"It really is quite amazing," April says, nodding. Rory laughs. They wait for Lorelai to finish paying for the hat, before rushing to the baggage claim area and getting Rory's suitcases.

As they drive back to Stars Hollow, where they are set to pick up some Chinese food from Al's (the only Stars Hollow restaurant open on Christmas Eve), Rory fills them in about her last month on the campaign trail. "I mean, I can't even tell you how grateful I am that Senator Obama's a good public speaker," she says, April's eyes never leaving Rory. "Normally, a job like this would be boring, listening to the same speeches day-after-day, but Obama's public speaking skills are really amazing. At the very least, I have so much to learn just from listening to the writing quality of the speeches. Obama's script writer really is amazing."

"And what, in your opinion is the defining trait that makes Obama a more ideal Democratic candidate than someone like Hillary Clinton or John Edwards?" April asks. She and her friends have had many conversations about who the best Democratic candidate is, and she is excited to have an opinion from the inside.

Rory frowns thoughtfully. "Well, understandably I'm a little biased, but I would say that the biggest thing Senator Obama brings to the plate is that he's something fresh. We already know what the White House has been like under a Clinton, and now it's time for something new. I can't say that if I wasn't on the campaign that I wouldn't be considering Hillary Clinton too, but I do feel confident that Obama would be a good change for this country."

"Well, you know all of Stars Hollow is set to vote for him for the primaries, so I'm sure that will help," Lorelai says, pride in her voice. "That is, I know Taylor's still going on about McCain, and Kirk's probably not going to be able to decide one way or another, but the rest of Stars Hollow is definitely voting for him. Everyone's so proud of Rory Gilmore, reporter for possibly the country's first black president."

"I appreciate that," Rory says with a laugh. "This job has been hard, and I can't say I'm not looking forward to getting home, but I'm for anything that will give me a stable paycheck." She turns to April. "So, how have you been, April? How's high school been treating you?"

"All right," April says, shrugging. "Even though I'm in almost all honors classes, my school here is a lot easier than back at home, but I'm dealing."

"Tell Rory how you became secretary for the Environmental Club," her dad says, with the same pride as Lorelai had in her voice just a few minutes earlier.

"Oh, yeah. It's pretty rare for freshmen to get a job on the executive committee, but I was passionate, and I guess the club members thought I had what it takes, cause I got the job."

"April, that's great," Rory says, smiling. "I wish my high school had an environmental club. Lane and I did some work volunteering for the environment-you know, picking up trash and whatnot-in middle school, but Chilton wasn't as into the whole environmental thing. You know, while I wouldn't have given up my experience for anything in the world, the one thing about going to such a competitive prep school was that it was sometimes way more about tailoring to the needs of looking good on your transcripts than actually doing the things you wanted to do. You're lucky you can do things like join Environmental Club and swim team, without just thinking about it looking good for college. Even though Chilton told us that being well-rounded was necessary for college, I have a feeling we were way less rounded than we would have been if we went to public school."

"Well, both schools have distinct advantages and disadvantages," April says. Before the conversation can continue, they pull in front of Al's, and Rory and Lorelai hop out to take care of the food.

April feels a little self-conscious during dinner. As glad as she is that Rory is here, it hurts a little, knowing that Lorelai, Rory, and her dad have all this history she does not. Though they make an effort to explain things to her (including a particularly interesting tidbit about a Christmas when Rory was about thirteen, where Luke was forced to help bring in their Christmas tree, to disastrous results), she still does not share the same history with them. It's strange to know that during the quiet Christmases with her mother's family, she just as easily could have been spending Christmas with her dad and the Gilmore girls.

She is also a little jealous of Lorelai and Rory's bond. Ever since she finally heard about her mother's role in her dad and Lorelai's breakup, things have not been the same between the two of them. While April knew they were heading towards that path ever since Luke first came into her life, she wishes things could be different. The truth is, April misses her mom. Once-upon-a-time, they were as close as Rory and Lorelai, and just because April has a dad doesn't mean doesn't want a mom, too.

She feels a little sad when she and her dad leave the Crap Shack for his apartment. Though Luke and Lorelai have been living together, and April stayed in Rory's bedroom during her last visit, they have been taking a few weeks apart from each other before the wedding. While April is honestly enjoying her last chance to stay with her dad at his apartment, she also knows she will miss Lorelai and Rory. As much as she loves her dad, a part of April wishes she could continue to witness the vivacious nature of Lorelai and Rory.

Sighing, she reassures herself that they will be together for Christmas morning.

* * *

"The night before April came, I had another dream about the real Paul Anka," Lorelai says. It is an hour and a half after April and Luke left, and Lorelai and Rory are sitting at the kitchen table, eating ice-cream. "It didn't exactly follow the last dream-I mean, both Paul Anka's were in it, and the world didn't explode or anything-but it was still pretty weird."

They have already been through the basic updates on the phone. Rory has kept her mother up-to-date about her feelings about Ryan and Amanda, and she has even told her mother about her lunch with Jess. Though Rory does not foresee something happening between them again, it was good to see Jess and to get his perspective on his own feelings about having a much younger half-sibling. Now, however, they are concentrating on more minor details of what has been happening during the past month. Rory has been listening to her mom read from a series of notecards, just like the ones she used after their infamous fight her junior year.

Rory leans her chin on her arms, eager to hear this after the bizarre nature of the last Paul Anka dream. "Tell me. Did Paul Anka turn into Luke and sing a rousing rendition of 'You're Having My Baby'?"

"No, although funnily enough, I am considering requesting that song to be played at my wedding," Lorelai says. She is still wearing her pink hat from Hartford, and the backwards baseball cap makes her look more like Luke's fiancée than ever. "Actually, in my dream, human Paul Anka somehow found out about my dog-like I said, it totally didn't follow the last dream, cause you think they would remember something like the world exploding-and he was so honored that I named his dog after him that he married me."

Rory gapes at her. "You married human Paul Anka?"

Her mother grins. "Apparently, I'm just as pretty as Anne de Zogheb and Anna Aberg and whatever woman with 'Ann' in her name that Paul Anka decides to date next."

Rory is still having trouble digesting this. She knows her mother has strange dreams, but she never mentioned any remaining lust for the real Paul Anka. "You actually married the real Paul Anka? Um, Mom, aren't you a little, well, tall for him?"

Lorelai gasps. "I am not too tall for him! In what dating book does it say that the woman must be taller than the man? You're being heightest, I tell you! Absolutely heightest!"

"Um, need I remind you of Rune?"

"Rune was the one who had a problem with my height, not me. If he had had a personality transplant and plastic surgery, I might have considered him."

"And would that plastic surgery have included some growth hormones?"

"Shush you. I'm not done telling you about my dream." She clears her throat. "So, I guess Paul Anka and I had the wedding, even though it wasn't in my life, because the next thing I knew, we were lying in bed together-nothing else happened," she says quickly, as Rory raises her eyebrows at her. "I can assure you that though I might have found Paul Anka attractive in my middle school days, I am more than happy with the man I have. Anyhow, I almost had a nervous breakdown, waking up to a Paul Anka on either side of me. It was weird, though, because the real Paul Anka kept insisting that I call him Paul with no 'Anka' attached, and all my life-and literally, he's been around all my life; I can't remember a time when he wasn't a sensation-I've called him by both his first and last name. 'Paul' with no 'Anka' just doesn't have the right ring to it, you know?"

Rory puts on a high-pitched voice she learned from her mother. "'Good morning, Luke Danes.' 'Give me a kiss, Luke Danes.' 'Yes, Luke Danes, I agree that Taylor is stupid. 'Give me a foot message..Luke Danes.'"

Lorelai frowns. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just trying out what it would be like for you to call your husband by both his first and last name," Rory says. "You can't blame Paul Anka–that is, Paul-for being a little wigged out by it. People normally tend to call their significant others by their first names only. Speaking of which, did you have to change your last name in your dream? I'm trying to see you as a Lorelai Anka, but I just can't."

"I don't think the dream went that far. Now can we please move on to the analysis of the dream?"

"Oh, I forgot, it would be Lorelai Gilmore-Anka, right? Cause if you're using a hyphened last name after marrying Luke, then I assume you would do the same thing after your marriage to Paul Anka."

"Where's my little Freud when I need her?"

"Then again, the real question is what dog Paul Anka would do about his name here." She points to the dog, who is currently hiding under the table. "I think in real life, 'Paul Anka Danes' has a better ring to it and much more potential of annoying Luke than 'Paul Anka Gilmore,' but that doesn't save Paul Anka in the dream. What would he have been then?" She reaches under the table and pats the dog on his head affectionately. "Paul Anka _Anka_?"

"Yeah, having the same last name as your middle name is generally frowned upon," Lorelai says. "It has a nice repetitive feel to it, but I don't think we'd want to be sued for doggy abuse. Anyway, as I was saying, when I woke up from the dream, I was still really out of it. I was still half-convinced that I really was married to Paul Anka and being so close to marrying Luke was the dream. I kept pinching myself, cause I was so sure I was about to wake up."

"I think that's understandable, considering all that's happened," Rory says. "Think about it, Mom. You and Luke have had a relationship with almost as many bumps as Rachel and Ross. It's not surprising you're having trouble realizing it's really happening." She puts her hand on her mother's arm and smiles at her. "But it's happening, Mom. It's not even like you're just getting married, then hoping the baby thing will happen-you're doing both."

Lorelai smiles. "I know."

Though happy for her mother, Rory can't help rolling her eyes at the dreamy expression on Lorelai's face. "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't get all sappy last time?"

"You're right." Lorelai quickly recovers, her smile fading into a more serious expression. "So, Christmas plans. Luke and April are coming over at about nine, and then Luke's going to make breakfast for us. They would have come over earlier, but Luke said something about the only thing Christmas being good for is sleeping in." She rolls her eyes, and Rory laughs. "I figure we can open presents sometime before or after breakfast, depending on whether presents or food is taking priority at the moment-I mean, presents usually prioritize over food, but I think Luke's going to be grumpy if he doesn't get anything to eat. After that, April and I were thinking of dragging Luke to the Dragonfly's ice rink. Of course, there's no way Luke's gonna ice skate, and I don't think he'll let me skate in case I fall and injure the baby, but you can borrow my shoes, and April and you can have fun. April's really looking forward to it. According to her, indoor ice rinks aren't the same. Your grandparents aren't coming back from the Vineyard until tomorrow, so you'll have to wait to see your grandmother at the bachelorette party."

"That sounds fun," Rory says, then frowns. "Are you sure you can't ice skate too? As far as ice skating goes, you're pretty fluid on your feet. I doubt you'll fall or anything."

Lorelai grimaces. "Well, to be honest, I don't want to tempt fate either," she admits. "Besides, you should have heard how worried Luke was about something happening to the baby on his dark day. He hasn't brought it up since, but I know he's still scared, and I guess, knowing what happened to his parents, I can definitely understand that."

"I understand," Rory says softly. She thinks of her almost stepsister, a girl she likes, but does not really know. "It's just not going to be the same without you. I do think it's probably better for my future sibling's sake that you avoid it, but I'm going to miss you. I've never gone skating without you before."

Lorelai's face softens. She takes Rory's hand and gives it a squeeze. "We're still going to have plenty of time together. I promise."

"I know," says Rory, thinking about how things are changing. She changes the subject, not willing to dwell on this. "Hey, remember how early we used to get up at Christmas, to open all the presents? It occurs to me that if you train this kid right, we're going to have a built-in excuse. Not next year, obviously, as six-month-old babies generally don't know about Christmas, but in a few years, we might not be known as the crazy Gilmore girls who get up at the crack of dawn for Christmas, even though we're too old to be excited for presents. Instead, we can blame getting up so early on Will-or whatever her name is if she's a girl."

Lorelai's grin widens. "I didn't even think of that!" She frowns, touching her stomach. "If this little guy in here is a Will and not a Wilma, we might have a problem, though. I mean, if he's a Danes man, then he'll probably inherit Luke's grumpy attitude, and that will mean he'll be more interested in sleeping in than presents."

"Well, if worse comes to worse, you'll wake him up and blame the early hour on Will if Luke asks," Rory says. "Chances are, he'll see right through you, but at least you'll still have your built-in excuse."

Her mother's eyes shine. "I'm so glad you're with us for Christmas this year, kid."

Rory tenses, taken aback by this reference to last year's Christmas. Not only did her mother spend last Christmas with Christopher and Gigi, but she was off visiting Logan in London. "Well, even if I was gone, you would have still had Luke and April," she says, thinking about the very different mother-father pair they are spending Christmas with. "I know nobody can ever compare to me, but at least you wouldn't have been starved from female contact."

"True. But after two Christmases apart, I don't know how I would have managed. I think I would have had to sue the campaign for keeping us apart, because there would be no other excusable reason for us to avoid Christmas together." Lorelai frowns, her eyebrows scrunching together. "So, uh, the last I heard, Francine was helping Christopher look after Gigi. You're welcome to make a stop there, if you want."

The knots in Rory's stomach multiply. "Well, as much as I would love to do that, Dad and Gigi are visiting Sherry in Paris. I mean, as far as I know, Dad's not going to be the one doing the actual visiting, but he didn't want to part from Gigi for the holidays, and I guess Paris is a nice getaway."

Though Rory has not revealed her true feelings, Lorelai nevertheless manages to see through her. "Oh, I'm so sorry, sweets. You want me to call and yell at him?"

"No, it's okay," says Rory quickly. Though her parents have not spoken to each other since her graduation, she knows her mother is still not used to her oldest friend being completely out of her life. "I think the long distance fare would seriously cut into your wedding expenses." _Not to mention what it would do to Luke. _

"Okay," says Lorelai, not looking completely convinced. She forces a smile onto her face. "But hey, this year, we'll have Luke and April! Plus, T.J., Liz, and Doula are coming over for Christmas dinner, and there's nothing like some T.J. to brighten up the holidays, right?"

"Right," says Rory, grinning back. At the thought of Luke and April, she is surprised to find hurt and jealousy spurting inside of her. She wishes that just once, she and her dad could have spent Christmas together. Luke has only known April for two years, and he has already managed to see her more times in those short two years than Christopher had in all of her first twelve years together. The only time she ever saw her dad near Christmas was when he stopped by her grandparents' annual Christmas party, and that does not really count.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Rory finds herself thinking of a piece of jewelry in her drawer. Though her heart clenches at the thought, she pushes this feeling aside. As an older sister, be it towards Gigi, the new baby, or her almost stepsister, she needs to put her own feelings aside and set an example. She knows what she has to do.


	10. Rory & April 2

Author's Note: at the risk of giving spoilers for this current chapter, this fic is sort of a companion to I drabble I wrote last week, "The Pearl Necklace". You definitely don't have to read it to understand it, but it does fit in here. You'll see when you get to the end.

* * *

Rory & April (Part 2)

_"Dad loves you too, Rory. You should hear the way he talks about you-I'm not the only one he's proud of. And while I still think Mom was totally wrong about everything, maybe it's also true that Dad wouldn't have been the same with me if he hadn't had the experience with you first."_

_

* * *

_

Despite Rory's initial misgivings, Christmas turns out to be just as magical as Christmases in the past. Though it isn't quite like the Christmases she and her mother had with Mia and Sookie when she was younger and definitely not like her Christmas in London last year, Rory nonetheless finds herself bit by the holiday bug. At her first taste of Luke's pancakes, she finds herself thinking that this Christmas is beginning to move up the ladder considerably.

"This is amazing, Luke," she says, swallowing a bite of pancakes. The taste of the chocolate chips continues to dance in her mouth. "Seriously, I don't know if it's because I've been starved from your pancakes so much on the campaign trail, but these pancakes are really good. You've truly outdone yourself."

Luke smiles. "Thanks, Rory." He turns to April, who is swirling around her sausage links with her fork. "Is your breakfast okay?"

"Huh? Oh, it's fine." April seems startled that Luke asked. "I was just thinking that I'm so glad I'm here for Christmas. There's a reason there's a song called 'White Christmas,' after all. Christmas in New Mexico just wouldn't be the same."

"Well, I'm glad you're happy," Luke says, smiling at her, and April smiles back. Rory feels her heart tugging, and she quickly looks away. _You need to be mature about this_, she reminds herself, taking another bite of pancake._ April and your future sibling are lucky to have Luke as a father. Besides, it's right that Gigi sees Sherry, too. For all that he didn't do, at least your dad didn't walk out and abandon you in the same way Sherry or Jess's dad did._

Lorelai is the only one who does not seem to be following this conversation. She has a stack of both blueberry and chocolate pancakes, on account of her pregnancy cravings for slightly healthier food-not that, in Rory's opinion, the blueberries in the pancakes make the pancakes much healthier. "Hey, you remember that one Christmas Luke left the diner open?" Lorelai asks Rory. "I think it was like the first one after we met, because I don't remember us going to the diner for Christmas the next year."

"Yeah, it definitely was, since I remember you calling me Duke-she used to call me Duke for a while," Luke says, as an aside to April. April looks especially interested. She puts down her fork and looks at Lorelai, giving her almost stepmother her full attention.

"Duke?" she asks.

"Yeah, I thought 'Duke's Diner' had nice alliteration to it," Lorelai says. "I think I started calling him that before I even knew his last name was 'Danes,' and believe me, when I realized it that if his name was 'Duke,' there would have been two alliterations-'Duke Danes' and 'Duke's Diner'-my mind almost exploded."

"She kept talking about it for days," Rory says to April, nodding knowingly. "You're lucky you weren't around."

"Shush you. The point is, before we stopped in, I said to Rory, 'What kind of a man leaves his restaurant open for Christmas?' All that was missing from you was green makeup and those little Grinch ears, though that baseball cap and flannel were a pretty dam good substitute. Then, when we came in and I asked you why you were open, you just looked at me and said, 'Do you want to order or not?' Imagine! You had no Christmas decorations, no tree, nothing! It was blasphemy I tell you…utter blasphemy!"

Luke rolls his eyes. "Yeah, cause every single being on this earth, regardless of their religion, celebrates Christmas."

"Well, excuse me for not noticing the Menorah," Lorelai retorts. "Anyway, when we started home, I turned to Rory and said, 'Can you imagine what kind of childhood Luke must have had?' We spent the car ride theorizing what kind of awful things had turned you off about Christmas."

"Number one on the list was that you were in the living recreation of Ebenezer Scrooge," Rory says, nodding. She and her mother grin when Luke squirms.

"Is there any point to this story?" he says, groaning.

"The point," says Lorelai loudly, touching Luke on the arm, "is that here we are, eleven years later, with both of our lovely girls, an upcoming wedding, and a little baby on the way. You can just call me Cindy-Lou Who, cause babe, that Christmas and this one are night and day."

"Nice story," Luke says, standing up. He surveys their plates. "You want me to get anything out of the way? I know how eager you are for this next part of the morning."

"Present time!" Rory and Lorelai squeal, rushing to the tree in their living room. An amused April follows, a few steps behind them.

Though Rory and April begin sorting through the presents the instant they sit down, Lorelai holds up a hand to stop her. "Lu-uke!" she whines. "It's baby's first Christmas! You have to be here for every moment!"

"It's a Christmas the baby isn't going to even remember," Luke says from the kitchen. Lorelai starts to beg again, and he sighs. "Oh, all right. I guess I can wash the plates later."

"Ah, such a man," Lorelai says, leaning back contently, as Luke appears, grumbling. "Get the timer ready, Rory. Let's see how well we do on this."

"What on earth?" Luke says, but his protests are drowned out after Rory hits the "Start" button and Lorelai shouts for them to begin.

Wrapping paper is discarded everywhere. Though Luke does not succumb to the madness, April, Rory, and Lorelai get into it. Within two minutes and thirty seconds, every present is unwrapped, from sets of earrings and jewelry to Lorelai's new Hello Kitty toaster. "Wow," says Rory, out of breath. "I think we made a world record!"

"Not quite," Lorelai says, producing a small gift from behind her back. With a smile, she hands the gift to Luke. "I got this for the baby. I want you to be one who opens it."

Frowning, Luke begins to open the present. Lorelai, April, and Rory giggle when he takes out a mini baseball cap, almost identical to the one on his head. "Ah, geez," he mutters. Still giggling, Lorelai points to the pink cap on her own head.

"I told you there was a reason I needed a baseball cap!" she says. "Now, we can be the Backwards Baseball Cap Family or the B.B.C.F. for short, and I can officially be Mrs. Backwards Baseball Cap!"

April squirms, and Rory feels her own heart sinking. Completely oblivious, Luke shakes his head and plants a peck on Lorelai's lips. Lorelai beams at him, cradling the cap in her hands. Still grinning, she turns to Rory and April, who are looking away. "Now, what do you say we postpone cleaning up the wrapping paper and the big scary kitchen and get ready for ice skating?"

Aprils frowns at her. "You still want to go?"

"Of course I still want to go," Lorelai says, wrinkling her forehead. "We planned it, remember?"

"I know," says April, hesitating. "I just thought, well-"

"We weren't sure you and Luke were still up for watching us skate," Rory interrupts. April shoots her a grateful look, and Rory mouths "You're welcome" back at her.

"I've been looking forward to watching you two skate!" says Lorelai, who has missed the whole exchange. "Now, all we need are your coats and skates, and we're outta here."

Not budging, April looks up at Lorelai. After swaying for a few moments, she begins to speak. "Uh, Lorelai, I know this is completely off-topic, but what am I going to do tomorrow night, during your bachelorette party? Mom mentioned she was really worried about it the other night, and I can't stay with Dad, since he has his bachelor party too. I know that drinking is a hazard while you're pregnant, so that's certainly out of the question, but Mom doesn't feel comfortable with me staying with a bunch of adult women."

Lorelai and Luke exchange looks. "If you want, I can talk to your mom," Lorelai says, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's going to be okay. I've guilted people into not bringing booze by playing the pregnancy card, and we were just going to rent out Black, White, and Read and watch a series of movies there…and not graphic movies, either."

"I know, but I'm pretty knowledgeable about what happens at these kinds of events," April says. "There might not be alcohol and the movies might not be inappropriate, but there is still Miss Patty. To be entirely honest, I'm not even sure how comfortable I feel about being at a bachelorette party while she's in attendance. I mean, it would be entertaining, but I don't have much curiosity about Miss Patty's sex life. I was actually thinking of offering to babysit Doula, so Aunt Liz and Uncle T.J. can go out, and then hanging low at either Dad's or your place."

"But honey, I don't want you to be bored by yourself," Lorelai says, frowning. Rory speaks before she has a chance to think about it.

"I'll stay with her." Seeing her mother's and April's wide eyes, she hurriedly attempts to explain. "Well, maybe not the whole night, but I could leave before the end and then help with Doula. I know most of the reason you're planning on not talking about anything too naughty is cause I'll be in attendance. Lane's probably going to duck out early for the twins, and that way I'll get out of your hair too. We can watch movies for the first part, and then, when you're done, you can let Sookie take over and do whatever she wants to do."

Luke, whose face is flaming, leaves the room. "But sweets, you're the maid-of-honor," Lorelai says, unbothered that their bluntness has caused her fiancé to leave. "I don't want you both missing out on my bachelorette party."

"I know, Mom, but I would still be there for the parts I'm comfortable with," Rory says. "I'm inclined to agree with April here, cause I really don't want to hear anything else about Miss Patty's sex life, either. That way, I can be here for the parts I'm comfortable with, and then the real adult party can go underway. April can choose whether she wants to stay for the first part or not."

"You're sure?" Lorelai says, looking at both of them. When they nod, she sighs. "Well, to be honest, that would make me feel a lot better. I don't want to get into trouble with Anna, and you not being alone makes me feel a lot better."

"Well, Mom will be certainly happy to hear about that," April says, nodding. She turns to Rory. "Are you really okay with this? I know how close you and your mom are, and I don't want to intrude."

"April, it's fine," Rory says. "I've been wanting to spend more time with you anyway. We can have a movie night or girl talk or something. Besides, as close as Mom and I are, there are some things I don't want to hear about, either."

"Ah geez," says Luke, from the kitchen. The three laugh and go to the closet to pick up their coats. Confident that she has made the right decision, Rory feels a small smile tugging at her lips.

* * *

The first few hours of the bachelorette party go by quickly. They watch _American Gigolo_ (on account of missing the showing at Lane's bachelorette party), _Dirty Dancing_ (for Patrick Swayze eye candy), and _Pretty in Pink_ (as homage to Lorelai's youth). In spite of the "no drinking" rule, Rory catches a few women sneaking sips from flasks. Even Emily, tired from the trip back from the Vineyard, has succumbed to the madness.

"So," Miss Patty says once the last movie is over, waggling her eyebrows suggestively, "anything you want to share, Lorelai?"

"And I think that's my cue to go," Rory says. She kisses her mom on the cheek, before giving a similar peck to Emily. "Bye Mom. Bye Grandma. Try not to do anything that will disturb my future sibling for life."

"Bye Rory!" says Sookie, her voice betraying her intoxication. The next-to-last thing Rory hears before she leaves is Lulu, still speaking in her innocent voice, suggesting a game of Ten Fingers with lemonade, instead of alcohol.

She groans after Miss Patty starts by saying, "I've never made love in the diner's store room." Though she does not look behind her to see whether her mom has put down one finger, the catcalls that follow are answer enough. Now certain she has made the right choice, Rory rushes out of the theatre.

When Rory arrives back at the Crap Shack, she finds April sitting on the couch in the living room, writing something. A sleeping Doula rests in her portable crib, a few feet away. Taking a seat next to April, Rory points to the paper in April's hand. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, I was just working on my speech for the rehearsal dinner," April says, looking up. "Since you, Jess, and Lorelai's dad are making the speeches for the actual wedding party, Aunt Liz and I decided to make ours at the rehearsal dinner. It does fit, cause traditionally the groom's family is supposed to throw the rehearsal dinner." She puts down the piece of paper. "How was the party?"

"Well, if I were you, I'd wait a little to watch _American Gigolo_," Rory says. "I mean, it's not _Showgirls, _but I don't think your dad would be comfortable with you seeing full-frontal nudity. You would have been okay with _Dirty Dancing _and _Pretty in Pink_, though."

"Oh, yeah, Lorelai had us watch _Pretty in Pink _at my thirteenth birthday party," April says. They are both silent for a few moments, remembering what transpired between their parents at around the same time.

April speaks up, a little tentatively. "Uh, Rory?"

Rory turns to her. "Yeah, April?"

"Well, I was just having trouble writing my speech." She motions to the piece of paper. "I've researched it, and my favorite wedding speeches have some memory of the bride and groom, but the thing is, I really haven't known Dad that long. I mean, he and Lorelai gave me the whole history of their romance when I visited last summer, but still, the most I have to draw on is how miserable he was without your mom last year. Seeing as Aunt Liz's speech is bound to be embarrassing, I don't want to make Dad sad, too. I was just wondering if you had any tidbits about my dad and your mom that maybe I could add in."

Rory nods, considering this. "Well, to be honest, April, my best tidbit is already in my wedding speech, but I don't think you necessarily need to make your tidbit about both my mom and your dad. For Lane's bachelorette party, I just read a note Lane gave me in fourth grade. You can probably just share a memory with you and your dad or something. I'll bet that's what your aunt will be doing."

April pushes up her glasses. "I know, but I just feel so weird, not having been there for any of that," she says. "Their entire romance lasted eleven years, and that was really ten years, since last year they were in that big fight. When you total it all up, I wasn't even around for a year of that. I was thinking of maybe polling people about Lorelai and my dad and then using the results in my speech." She looks at Rory. "Did you always know your mom and my dad were going to get together?"

"Well, I don't know if I thought about it much when I was younger, but it certainly crossed my mind a couple of times," Rory says. "Mostly, I was just afraid of them breaking up and us not being able to eat at the diner again, but your dad has always been great about not letting his relationship with my mom get in the way of ours. I guess deep down, yeah, I knew something would happen. Your dad was way more open about his pining, but my mom wasn't innocent either. She may have been way more subtle, but I definitely saw her checking him out a few times."

April sighs. "I just wish my mom would have told me about Dad earlier. That way, I could have actually seen their relationship with my very own eyes, and they wouldn't have been apart last year or anything."

"Listen, April," Rory says, remembering what her mother told her about Anna's and April's fight back in October, "I know you're upset with your mom right now, but you can't take this out on her completely. It was our parents' problem to work through, not hers. I was angry at her too, but your mom actually had a few good points. I was sixteen before I ever met one of my mom's boyfriends, and, if you knew the story, that was pretty inevitable, anyway. You can't blame your mom for not wanting you hurt."

"Yeah, but they were _engaged_," April says, exaggerating the word. "Not introducing me to the random guys she goes out with is one thing, but not letting me get to know my dad's fiancée was different. If it had been up to her, the first time I met Lorelai would have been at the wedding. I mean, can you imagine how awkward that would have been? Watching my dad get married to someone I didn't even know?"

"I guess that might have been awkward," Rory says, trying to lighten up the situation.

"I just miss my mom's and my relationship," April admits, taking on a more serious tone than Rory is used to. "When I was younger, we were as close as Lorelai and you, but ever since Dad's been in my life, things have changed. Moving to New Mexico definitely didn't help either. We don't even really talk anymore-not aside from asking each other how our days went, I mean. I guess being here just makes me remember what I used to have." She shrugs. "You and Lorelai are pretty lucky."

"Aw, April, everyone hits rough patches," Rory says, honestly touched by this statement. "It's true that my mom and I were always close in my childhood, but even we fought from time-to-time. I don't know if you heard about it, but right before you came to Luke, we had a fight where we barely talked for five months. "

"You and Lorelai went five months fighting?" April says, her eyes widening. "That must have been some fight."

"Yeah, it was," Rory says. Looking at April again, it strikes her that now might be the right time to take action. "Hey April, do you mind if I leave for a minute? There's something from my room that I want to show you."

"Sure," says April. She watches as Rory heads to her bedroom and pulls out a piece of jewelry from her jewelry drawer. A few minutes later, she returns, clutching a necklace in her hands.

"This was your grandmother's necklace," Rory says, opening her palm to reveal the pearls. "Your dad gave it to me for my twenty-first birthday. Even though my mom and I were in the middle of the fight at the time, he still gave me a birthday present."

"It's beautiful," April says, staring at the pearls in Rory's hands. Rory takes a deep breath before she next speaks.

"I want you to have this necklace."

It takes a few minutes for April to register the words. "You want to give me the necklace?" she says. When Rory nods, she shakes her head. "Rory, I can't take this. Dad gave it to you, not to me."

"April, this was your granddaughter's," Rory says, her heart rate beginning to increase. "You never knew her, and the least you deserve is a little souvenir from the great woman I'm sure that she was. If Luke had known about you at the time, this would have been yours. You're his _daughter_, April. You deserve to take this."

She doesn't realize her voice has cracked until she sees the expression on April's face. April's face is filled with the same feelings Rory herself wore only a few minutes before-gratitude, sheepishness, and sympathy. Before Rory can turn away, not used to displaying vulnerability about this particular subject, April speaks.

"You know, I still remember how weird it was the first few days after Dad won the court case," April says, gazing into the distance. "I mean, we were pretty preoccupied packing and starting to say our goodbyes, but it was still weird. She barely even looked at me for a while. I didn't dare mention Dad or even visiting my friends again, cause I knew it would set her off. It wasn't until we came to New Mexico that I overheard her talking to my grandma and figured some things out."

As April turns back to Rory, her voice fills with a matter-of-fact tone typical of April. "My mom made a mistake. That much is obvious. No matter how anti-kid my dad was at the time, things would have been different with his own kid. Except in forms of like, filial cannibalism or something, most species care for their young. That's just a fact. I'm not saying it's not good in some ways that my mom didn't tell him, as hello, our parents are perfect for each other, and I can't imagine how miserable my parents would have been cause I know my dad would have tried to step up and marry her, but when I overheard my mom talking to my grandma, she finally admitted that she had made a mistake. And I guess a big part of that was because of the character reference your mom did for Dad."

April motions to the pearl necklace in Rory's hand. "Dad loves you too, Rory. You should hear the way he talks about you-I'm not the only one he's proud of. And while I still think Mom was totally wrong about everything, maybe it's also true that Dad wouldn't have been the same with me if he hadn't had the experience with you first. I know this is really bordering on Adam Sandler _Wedding Singer _cheesy, but I know Dad. He doesn't just think of you as the girl who's about to be his stepdaughter. I'll bet if you ask Dad, he'd say that he loves you just as much as the baby and me."

Rory swallows, overcome by April's words. While she didn't tell anyone how jealous of April she was when she first found out about her, inside, she felt the deep pain of someone else having the father that she always wished for. Now, she sees April as the curious, insightful, and funny girl that she is. It occurs to Rory now that April is probably feeling the same way about the new baby as Rory does. Unlike with Gigi, Rory will have another person to mentor her new sibling with-another person who will share the duty of being a role model. She and April will be big sisters together, as well as stepsisters, and she finds herself excited by the thought.

Rory turns to April, trying to scrutinize her face. "Are you sure? Cause if you, you know, change your mind, I'll be happy to share the necklace with you."

"I'm sure," says April in her confident voice. She picks up the piece of paper she was working on. "Hey, I'd really like to watch a movie, but this talk gave me some great ideas for my rehearsal dinner speech. Do you mind if I go ahead and write this speech first, and maybe you can pick out a movie in the meantime?"

"Sure," Rory says, wondering how their conversation has helped April's speech. "I think I have just the movie for us to watch."

* * *

Later that night, after watching _One Fine Day_, April has conked out on the couch. Doula is in Rory's bedroom, so she could continue to sleep without the T.V.'s distraction. Although it is one 'o clock in the morning, the bachelorette party is not over yet. Rory has a nagging feeling that her mother, as probably the only sober person at the party, will be the party's designated driver.

Though she is not sure April will want her speech read, Rory finds herself looking at the folded piece of paper on the coffee table. After a short hesitation, she gives in to temptation and unfolds the piece of paper. She smiles when she begins to read, filled with renewed love for her little stepsister.

_Hi, my name is April Nardini, and I'm making this a toast to my dad, Luke Danes, in honor of his marriage. Dad, the day is finally here, and you're getting everything you wanted. I couldn't be happier for you. Congratulations._

_As many of you know, I haven't been in my dad's life very long. I only met him two years ago, so I don't know as much about his relationship with Lorelai as the rest of you do. I have, however, heard many stories from the rest of the town, and I have seen with my own eyes my dad and Lorelai in action. I might not have been around for the full eleven years, but I still know that Lorelai and my dad are perfect for each other. _

_This wedding is also exciting for me personally, because I am going to be gaining a new family. Not only will I have a new sister or brother in a few months, but I will also be gaining a stepmother and stepsister. Lorelai and Rory, I'm so excited that you'll be part of the family. You guys are both so awesome, and I'm totally psyched to be a temporary "Gilmore girl". _

_Two facts remain. I wish I had met my dad sooner. Along with the rest of you, I also think it's too bad that it's taken eleven years for Dad and Lorelai to have finally reached this happy occassion. But since so far, the only theories about time travel are about traveling thousands of years into the future and not a few into the past, there's really no use dwelling on the past. Either way, I have this to say: Dad, I know waiting sucked, but thanks for stalling enough to allow me to be apart of this day. I'm so glad that I'll get to be here on the happiest day of your life. And while I know admitting it would desperately destroy the whole Grinch attitude Lorelai talks about, I think we'll all see the truth tomorrow. _

_To my dad and Lorelai, my stepmom-to-be. Congratulations, and may the next eleven years bring just as much joy- but maybe not as many ups and downs-as the first. _


	11. Lorelai & Luke

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. It won't take as long to update next time, I promise. This was an extremely hard chapter to write, and I kept on going back to edit. I'm still not entire happy about it, but I'm also sick of it lying on my computer screen. I will admit now that it has Nicole and Christopher in it, and that I've never written in the POV of someone drunk before, so PLEASE tell me if I should make any changes! Besides, drunk Nicole? Uhh, I think that speaks of the difficulty itself. I've read many, many better versions of what led up to Luke and Nicole's incredibly stupid elopement, but I didn't want to come close theirs because of plagiarism, either.

After the trouble it took me, I considered not including this one, but I eventually came to the conclusion that though we'd all like their pre-wedding thoughts to be nothing but fluffy, this was something both L&L would fixate on, and it was unrealistic for me not to include it. On the bright side, the next chapter is Luke and Lorelai's wedding, so I promise you'll have some fluff to look forward to in the near future.

P.S. At the end of the chapter, Lorelai mentions their wedding food of choice (do Luke's words during "A Vineyard Valentine" ring a bell?). I looked up various sources about whether you could eat lobster while pregnant, and just about every website said something different-some said yes, some said no, some said it depends on the kind of lobster (because of the mercury), and some said to talk to your doctor. So for the sake of this fic, we'll just pretend that the right lobster in moderation is okay.

OH, and that dialogue you recognize? I don't own it. ;)

* * *

Lorelai & Luke

_She and Luke have made remarkable progress in the seven months they've been back together. They've talked and have been open with one another and made love on a regular basis, and now their relationship is stronger than it ever was before. Still, though she knows she can never undo her mistakes, Lorelai has to yet to completely forgive herself for the things she did last year._

* * *

On the morning of her wedding day, Lorelai wakes up a good forty-five minutes before her alarm clock, which is set to go off at nine 'o clock. Though she stayed up till one o' clock the night before, she finds herself wide awake.

Lorelai stares up at the ceiling for a few minutes as it hits her. It is today. The day has come. Her wedding day is finally here. The realization makes her so excited that she almost wakes up April and Rory, both of whom are still asleep and sandwiching her. April stayed overnight, so she could get ready today with the rest of the bridesmaids. After realizing that they would probably never get a chance to sleep in the same bed together, Lorelai and Rory decided to have a go at it one last time. Though April offered to sleep in Rory's room by herself, they insisted that she join them, too.

Glancing again at the sleeping April and Rory, Lorelai is once again blasted with the significance of this moment. She almost pinches herself, unable to believe that it is actually happening. After today, she won't be a single mother or unmarried woman anymore, but a woman who is expecting a baby with her husband.

Lorelai is almost more startled by this particular fact than the realization that she and Luke have finally reached this point. All of her life, she has been a single mother, used to people's raised eyebrows whenever they see her with Rory. Now, when people glance at she and Luke, they won't even blink. True, the few people outside of Stars Hollow who noticed her slight pregnancy bump didn't blink either, but once today is over, it will be official. When she pushes a stroller in Litchfield or Woodbridge, and people conversationally compliment the baby and ask about her husband, she won't even have to lie. Instead, with a casual shrug, she will be able to tell the truth: _My husband's working at his diner _or _My husband's a few stores away, checking out some new tools _(she won't add "for Bert" or the "Dirty!" that will beg to escape from her lips. After all, if Lorelai is trying to pass as normal, normal women certainly don't have the sense of humor of a twelve-year-old or name their husbands'-who weren't even their husbands at the time of the christening-toolboxes).

All her life, Lorelai has never been "typical". She has been "crazy," "dramatic," "stubborn," and "independent," but "typical" is something else. The realization that she is about to embark on one of the most normal journeys of a woman's life-raising a child, alongside her husband-takes Lorelai aback. Though aware that her dream is coming true, Lorelai finds herself rubbing her stomach, still wondering how the hell she became someone her mother doesn't entirely disapprove of: Yes, she is marrying a so-called blue collar worker and got pregnant out of wedlock again, but she is stepping up by marrying the baby's father. Emily is always forced to admire anyone who conforms to society's expectation.

Reminding herself that the baby won't come until June and thus won't be a part of her life just yet, Lorelai thinks of the other perks of marrying Luke. Waking besides him in bed every morning. Making love so much on the honeymoon that they can barely move. Having the coffee in her own household without having to walk to the diner (though inevitably, she always will), and fighting with Luke over her enormous closet space. Having another person who feeds and takes out Paul Anka. Kissing him every night before she falls asleep. Though she has already experienced most of these things while living with Luke, she also knows marriage with him will be different. The house will really be "their" house, and legally, nothing will be able to separate them.

Most of all, she will always have Luke. Though Lorelai has no disillusions that married life will be easy, she also knows that the hardships will be worth it. While she doubts she will ever be happy that they spent a year apart, she did learn to say, "I love you" more often and to never take Luke for granted. When she hugs him, she always takes an extra moment to remind herself that he is there, and even when they fight, she is more aware of which fights are trivial and which really are worth fighting. Despite the pain of last year, Lorelai is content with their relationship now, and that is all that really matters.

As much as Lorelai would like to believe that this will be her first time promising herself to another man and that her white dress will be white for a reason (not, of course, because of virginity, but because Luke is the only man Lorelai will ever promise herself to), she cannot. The memory of last year still makes Lorelai beat herself up over her stupidity, and whenever she thinks of Christopher, she is still filled with pain and anger.

While her parents have never been her role models for anything, she did always admire how, with the exception of Richard's extended time in the pool house, they always stayed together. Richard and Emily have companionship and partnership, and Lorelai never thought for a moment that she would be married more than once. Instead, she has always seen marriage as the eternal commitment. The realization that today won't be her first and only wedding hits Lorelai hard. While today will be the only big ceremony and the first time that the marriage will be official beyond the law, she will never have been married only once. Instead, she will go through the rest of her life as a divorcee, and that hurts more than she cares to admit.

Once upon-a-time, during the honeymoon phase of their relationship (sometime after their first date and before her parents' vow renewal), Lorelai imagined she and Luke in Paris. Luke would rant about one thing or another, but she would eventually convince him to go to the Eiffel Tower at midnight with her, because that is what Lorelai does. Even though Christopher and she were the ones who came up with the French fantasy of sleeping on benches, she nonetheless began to associate "Paris" with "Luke". Though Lorelai yet had to admit the depth of her feelings for Luke, it was only natural she placed "City of Love" and "Luke" in the same sentence.

Paris with Christopher was not a dream come true. Though they had planned it since the middle of their sophomore year (incidentally, on the same day as Rory's conception), Lorelai found herself thinking that the city looked considerably dimmer than it had when she had visited Paris with Rory. Maybe it was because she and Christopher had slept through so much of the day anyhow, but at any rate, "Paris" and "Christopher" no longer fit. What she needed was someone who would make her smile in the same way Rory did, not someone who saw Paris as the answer to everything that had gone wrong in their lives. Lorelai did not admit it to herself at the time, but deep down, she had still connected "Paris" with "Luke".

What hits Lorelai now is the realization that she will never go to Paris with Luke. True, it would be a long shot to drag Luke to Paris anyhow, but she finds herself resenting that a place is off-limits between them. Admittedly, Lorelai is not ready to go back to the place of Christopher's and her ill-fated elopement either, but she still holds on to the fantasy of she and Luke walking down a street Paris. She would be holding a cup of coffee, seeing dogs on the street, and actually getting to use her catch phrase (in Lorelai's mind, there will always be an endless amount of poodles in Paris), and Luke would roll his eyes, secretly touched when she assures him that his coffee was still better. There is something so corny, yet also so comforting, about being in the City of Love with her love, that Lorelai has trouble letting go of the fantasy entirely. She longs to be the envy of other women, wishing for a Luke by their sides. After thirty-seven years (subtracting her years with Luke) of watching other women holding hands with their partners and wishing she had the same thing they did, Lorelai can't resist the urge to rub her own success into other women's faces.

She and Luke have made remarkable progress in the seven months they've been back together. They've talked and have been open with one another and made love on a regular basis, and now their relationship is stronger than it ever was before. Still, though she knows she can never undo her mistakes, Lorelai has to yet to completely forgive herself for the things she did last year.

* * *

When Luke awakes early the next morning, it is not because of excitement. As a natural early riser because of work, Luke sleeps in when he is the most content. Instead, this morning, he wakes up a little after eight 'o clock from the sound of Jess's (who is sleeping on his old bed) snores. Though aware that it is probably good he woke up anyway, Luke nonetheless finds himself cursing his decision to let Jess spend the night.

It is funny being here with Jess. Were it not for the date on the calendar, Luke could almost convince himself that it is five or six years ago, and Jess still lives with him. He needs to get a move on to open his diner, and Jess needs to get up, stop slacking, and get to school. Lorelai is a friend and customer, nothing more, and he has never heard the name "April" before. At these thoughts, Luke finds himself startled by the realization of how much has changed.

Thinking about this makes Luke remember Nicole, the person he would have more-or-less been dating at the time. His heart quickens at the thought. While he liked Nicole, he never meant to lead her on-something, Luke can admit honestly now, that he probably did. Moreover, he never meant to marry her. His parents were always his role models for a successful relationship, and whenever Luke looked at Liz, he always vowed that he himself would only be married once. Try as he might, Luke cannot shake the image of his father shaking his finger at him and demanding if this is the boy he raised. _I told you to go after what you want, not flake out and marry some girl you didn't even love as a last resort!_

At this thought, Luke finds himself startled by another thought entirely. He hated the cruise. He did. It was too expensive and pretentious and just another example of the materialistic nature of Americans. Still, at the same time, he can see another image quite clearly: Lorelai, tugging at his hand, and forcing him to go the midnight buffet. Watching in disbelief as she inhales all the food after already eating a gross amount a few hours before. Listening to her make _Titanic _jabs every time they pass Alaska's icebergs.

Most of all, he can see their little boy or girl, clinging to Lorelai's arm. He or she would be completely fixated on what his mother is saying, and whenever they pass seals or dolphins, swimming in the Pacific Ocean, he or she would point at them eagerly. Luke was not as interested in seeing the animals pass by their ship during the cruise, but he knows that whoever his child turns out to be, he or she will help him see the world through brighter lenses.

While it is also true Luke hated the cruise element, he did enjoy seeing the Alaskan sights. He has never been one to turn down fishing, and the wilderness of Alaska was quite beautiful. The off-the-boat excursions options were incredible, to say the least. Though it is foolish, Luke has already created an entire fantasy of an excursion that his family might take: Little Will (Luke hasn't admitted it, but he has begun to share Lorelai's want to name their baby that, if it is a boy) or perhaps a less prissy girl, watching Luke load his fishing pole with a sense of awe on his or her face. "Let me try," he or she would say, and Luke would position his or her hand on the pole, to help his child get the feel of fishing. Lorelai for her own part, though skeptical about killing another Jayne Mansfield (she is, of course, dressed in her ridiculous fishing outfit), would be there to take pictures. Even though she would be proud of the huge fish that they would eventually catch, a fight about whether or not to let the fish go would inevitably follow. In the end, Luke would lose as he always does; their child, though a lover of fishing, also possesses his mother's love for the actual lives of fish. His or her eyes would be so big and determined that Luke wouldn't even mind throwing the fish back into the water.

Yet as much as Luke is enamored by this fantasy, he knows it will never happen. He is not sure how comfortable he would feel about taking his family on the same trip he and Nicole got married on, and he doubts Lorelai would like it, either.

* * *

The cruise should have been more beautiful. While such frivolous vacations have never been Luke's thing (he still couldn't get used to the constant expensive meals and the waiters who called him "Sir"), Luke liked wilderness, he liked fishing, and he liked Nicole, so a cruise to Alaska with her should have been ideal. He should have been enjoying himself, not comparing himself to all of the other damn couples on the boat.

Still, although Luke had to admit that though a cruise to Alaska was certainly better than a place like the Caribbean, he had not been having as much fun in the past four days as he should have, after paying so much money for the very expensive cruise. Right now, for instance, he had had one too many martinis (yet another reason he should have stuck to beer), and his mind was fuzzy. In between an inner rant about how the early sunsets in Alaska were screwing up his mind, he found himself remembering a dream he had had before he left. Those blue eyes had appeared in his mind's eye, and there was nothing he could do to get them to go away.

Luke seethed inwardly. _Damn_ that woman. She had to know about his feelings for him-hell, everyone else in Stars Hollow somehow did-but she hadn't done anything with that knowledge. Instead, she somehow got him to succumb to her crazy schemes by flirting with him, then left him cut wide open whenever she told people that they were "just" friends.

It wasn't even that he thought about Lorelai all the time or that he didn't really liked Nicole, because he did. But in his haze of cabin fever and too much to drink, Luke found himself unable to concentrate on anything else. Whether it was love or purely lust, Lorelai had been the only woman he'd ever fully seen a future with. There was not just sex in his dreams; though there was plenty of that, sometimes he also just dreamed of waking up besides her and even struggling to find room for his things in her closet. He might not have dreamed of twins, but she hadn't been the only one to dream of their married life. Though he had thought Rachel was the one, Lorelai had been the only one he'd ever considered kids with. Whether it was because of how good she was with Rory or because he really was in love with her, whenever Luke imagined his kids, they always had Lorelai's sparkling blue eyes.

_Get a grip, Danes_, he scolded himself, his fists beginning to clench. _She considered Kirk before she even considered you. _Though the reasonable part of his brain reminded himself that the reason she had considered Kirk was because Kirk himself had asked her out, something Luke had never gotten the courage up to do, Luke put this aside. He was with Nicole now, and Lorelai had had many opportunities to consider him. If she'd really wanted him, they would have gone out before.

Nicole returned to their spot in the lounge, holding a few more drinks. Giggling, she waved goodbye to the couple she had been talking to, then slid into her a chair across from him. "Luke, Stephanie and Cole were just telling me about the food at their wedding," she said, her words slurring together. "They had grilled tilapia and roast polenta and asparagus. You can make tilapia, right?"

Without answering her question, Luke looked over his shoulder. Cole and Stephanie, ones of their couples from their dinner table, had sat down at a table nearby. Both were smiling and laughing at something the other one had said, and from the way he had seen them interact at dinner, he knew they still would have been enjoying themselves without the bottles in their hands.

In that instant, he saw them-all of them. Jane and Tom, who also sat at their table, celebrating their fiftieth anniversary; Abeer, their waiter, who had committed himself to the cruise's rigorous rules in order to bring home money for his wife and children; and the couple who sat at their own secluded table, who had gotten engaged the night before.

It was this couple who really got to Luke the most. They weren't young like Cole and Stephanie, but looked around Nicole's and his age. It was all right for people like Cole and Stephanie to get married-probably, they would become just another statistic, divorced within the next five years-but this couple was different. Watching the shining expression on the woman's face after her boyfriend popped the question and the lack of hesitation before she accepted his proposal, Luke almost forgot his reservations that love existed. Instead, for just one short moment, he allowed himself to believe that true love was real.

Most of all, he saw Lorelai. She was dancing with Max at her engagement party, an utterly carefree expression on her face. Though Luke knew that things with Max were over and that she hadn't married him after all, he also knew that Lorelai herself was an impossibility. She would never see him standing there, no matter how much he wished that things would have been different. It was time he finally came face-to-face with the truth.

The words came out before Luke could even comprehend them. "Marry me," he said simply.

* * *

Lorelai took in a breath. Her conversation with Christopher kept repeating over and over in her head. _"Remember when I told you that I would wait till we were both 80 for you to figure out us?" "But don't you think it's - it's too soon? We've only been dating a few months." "Try 25 years…So it's taken us this long to work it out, to figure it out, but we're here now. We're ready. We're finally ready. Let's do it, let's do it right here in Paris." "Honey, I love you, I really do, but... I think we should wait." "Come on, Lor. We love each other. We belong together. What do you say? Marry me." _

The last words bleated over and over again in her mind. _"Marry me."_

There were only two men in her entire life who had ever said a variation of those particular words. One was Max, who had only asked that question once. The other was, of course, Christopher, who had asked that question numerous times after Rory was born. The thing was, out of all her relationships, she had had only one boyfriend that was really serious. And he had been the one who had never managed to ask those particular words.

Other thoughts repeated over and over again in Lorelai's mind, before she could stop them. _"I don't think I loved anyone before I met Luke." "He could have been the one." "I don't know, it just hit me. These could be the ones." "I love you and I am going to marry you and at our wedding, we are having lobster." "But I love you, Luke. I love you. But I have waited, and I have stayed away, and I have let you run this thing, and no more. I asked you to marry me, and you said yes." "I can't just jump like this." "Well, I'm sorry to hear that…And I have to go." "…I slept with Christopher…"_

It took all of Lorelai's resolve not to cry.

But Christopher loved her. He did. Looking at the anticipation on his face, she was hit by how much. And Lorelai loved him. Well-maybe she did. She had told him that, after all, so it had to account for something, right?

"_I don't think I loved anyone before I met Luke…"_

She shook this thought aside. He didn't love her. If he had, he would have been the one to propose, she would have met and heard about April sooner, and he would have said yes to her ultimatum. Christopher wanted her to be apart of Gigi's life. The moment Sherry had left, he'd called her; the moment he had found out he was going to be a father again, she'd been right besides him. He had wanted to marry her for over twenty-two years. He would have said yes to her ultimatum, without questioning it. It was so easy for him to say, "I love you."

She'd never questioned whether or not he loved her.

Lorelai took a deep breath, not willing to fight it. Maybe it was time she just…gave in. She was less than two years away from turning forty, there wouldn't be very many men after this, and she wanted to settle down. She was still tired and jetlagged and sick of fighting. Besides, it was Paris, after all. Maybe the fact that after all this time, they had made it to France after all, was reason enough.

Lorelai swallowed hard. Her voice was nearly inaudible. But in her voice was the life she had lacked for the last eight months. She spoke only one word. "Okay."

* * *

Nicole's jaw literally unhinged. But before she had a chance to respond, Stephanie, who had apparently overheard the conversation, ran over and squealed. "Oh my God!" she said, nearly jumping up and down in her excitement. "I knew this would happen! I just knew it!" She threw her arms around Nicole's shoulders. "I'm just so happy for you!"

Just as she was opening her mouth to say something else, Cole rushed over. "Uh, Stephanie, honey," he said, taking his wife's hand and tugging her away, "maybe we should leave them in private for a minute, okay?"

"Oh. Right." Though Stephanie allowed herself to be pulled back to her table, she clearly did not understand Cole's motivations, because she looked back and said, "We can give you the number of our wedding caterer! I mean, he's located in San Diego, but I'm sure we can get the tilapia to you somehow!"

In his random pattern of drunk thoughts, Luke found himself thinking of his sister. Liz always got just a little too excited whenever the subject of "marriage" came up, too. He could relate to Cole's struggle of pulling her away. Still, it was one thing to have a sister and quite another to have willing made a commitment to this girl.

Once Stephanie and Cole had finally sat back down at their respective table, Nicole looked up at him. Her gray-blue eyes had locked on to his. In spite of her tipsiness, Nicole's tone was gentle. "What did you say?"

Luke swallowed. "I said, 'Marry me,'" he said, trying to ignore Stephanie, who was still trying to watch. "Hell, we can even do it here; I heard that captains are licensed for this kind of thing, but you'd know better than I am, being a lawyer and everything." He took a deep breath and attempted to gain his bearings. Nicole was watching, completely still. "Come on, Nicole; let's do this. Everyone knows that you don't just go around on trips like this unless you're serious, so we're serious, right? Look at everyone else here. Most of them are engaged or married or on their honeymoon's already. They've managed to do it, so why can't we?"

Nicole shook her head, still appearing confused by this question. As he stiffened, anticipating her answer, she put her hand over his. "Luke, that's very sweet of you to ask. But what about…" She cleared her throat, the words still obviously painful for her to say. "What about…?"

"What about what?" Luke said, now genuinely confused. "You aren't talking about Jess, are you? Cuz I already told you; he went off to his father. That little punk's not gonna care if I get married, believe me. Besides, if he does have a problem, then he's just gonna have to deal with it."

Once again interrupting Nicole before she could respond, Stephanie sprinted over. "So what do you say?" she said, ignoring the glare from Cole, who was coming over, no doubt to chastise him. "I mean, you are going to say yes, right? Aren't you?"

Just as Cole reappeared, Nicole spoke, a lopsided smile on her face. At that moment, though it would take him a long while to realize the reasons beyond the alcohol, Luke thought she looked more at ease than he had ever seen. "Okay. Why not?" She took a few sips of her pina colada and giggled. "Let's do it."

* * *

"Okay?" Christopher looked taken aback, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are-are you being serious, Lorelai? Do you really want to marry me?"

"You heard me right the first time!" Lorelai said, then forced herself to calm down. Trying to settle the anxiety building up in her stomach, she looked into Christopher's eyes. "Chris, I meant what I said. Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."

* * *

"What?" It was all very well when Luke had suggested it, but now he was more than a little taken aback that Nicole had agreed to his request. Despite the fogginess of his thoughts, he was dimly aware that this was not how he had imagined proposing. "Are you, uh, sure?"

"I'm sure, Luke," said Nicole, laughing, seeming to miss the look of horror on his face. "Now let's have another drink. Or two." She laughed again. "I'm not picky."

"Congratulations!" Stephanie squealed, hugging Nicole. Nicole hugged her back, not quite as enthusiastically. A more awkward Cole gave Luke a pat on the shoulder.

"Congratulations, man," he said. "I'm happy for you." Still, Cole's lack of eye contact revealed his true feelings.

"We should celebrate with you!" Stephanie said, missing the look Cole had given Luke. "We have to have more drinks! This is an occasion we can't forget!"

Luke gave Nicole a pleading look. While she had been all right handling Stephanie under the influence, he knew she was more than a little annoyed by her perky attitude. Instead, Nicole ignored Luke's look and shrugged. "The more the merrier."

"Drinks or people?" Cole asked, and they laughed.

This was not how it was supposed to be, Luke thought, as Cole flagged down a waiter to order more drinks. He was supposed to celebrate his engagement with a fancy meal with his fiancée, then take her up to his bedroom and make love, until they forgot anyone in the world existed but them. Luke was no romantic, but the proper post-proposal protocol seemed obvious. Later, he would wonder if Lorelai's voice had gotten into his head.

Still, after Cole came back with a tray of drinks, and Cole and Stephanie shared their own engagement story, it occurred to Luke that it took too much energy to fight. Instead, he made an effort to the listen to other couple's story and gave in and drank.

It was only after another drink and a half and many tipsy comments that Nicole turned to him and said, "Did you mean it about the captain?"

* * *

When Jess awakens a good fifteen minutes later, Luke is staring into space. He knows he needs to get a move on, but he is still taking in what day it is. It isn't until Jess speaks that he is startled from his daze.

"Uncle Luke?" he says, glancing at Luke. "Uh, you do realize what day it is, don't you? I don't need to remind you?"

For the first time, Luke allows himself to smile, thinking back to his fishing fantasy. A tumble of nerves and excitement runs through him, and he realizes that regardless of his short lived marriage with Nicole, he is still marrying Lorelai Gilmore _today_, and that is all that matters. "Yeah," he says, ignoring the mystified expression on his nephew's face. "Hold on, why don't I make us something to eat before we get ready?"

"Whatever you say, Uncle Luke," Jess says, shaking his head. Luke is just making his way down the stairs to the diner to get some of the ingredients he keeps there when he hears Jess mutter, "Some of her crazy must be rubbing off on him."

On any other day, Luke would have retorted. Today, he takes it as a compliment. It is a little crazy to be committing the rest of his life to someone when so many things can go wrong, but if this is what being crazy is like, Luke would gladly be crazy more often.

* * *

Lorelai looks into her bathroom mirror, still waiting for April and Rory to awake. She can't remember the last time she woke up so long before her alarm. Aside from a few bouts of morning sickness and instinctively glancing at the clock on Rory's twenty-first birthday, the last time was probably right before the opening of the Dragonfly Inn. Lorelai enjoys sleeping, and though she does wake up before her alarm occasionally, she is almost always able to fall back asleep.

As she glances into her bathroom mirror, she squints to see if she looks different. True, she isn't married yet, so she should really wait until tomorrow, but she is still curious.

After a few minutes of staring at herself, Lorelai gives up. Aside from her slight pregnancy glow, the same unkempt morning hair and sleep filled eyes gaze back at her as they do every other morning. Lorelai is both relieved and disappointed by this news. Though she wishes she had something to commemorate her last morning as an unmarried woman with, she is also glad some things-like the reflection she sees in the mirror every morning-will remain the same.

Gazing at her reflection again, she realizes something. Today, she and Luke are finally getting married, and there isn't anyone-not Christopher, Anna, Nicole, Max, her parents, Rachel, and most importantly, themselves-who is going to stop them. She will go to the altar in her white dress, and he will be waiting there in a black suit, and after reciting their vows, they will be pronounced man and wife. Once they kiss, she won't be Lorelai Gilmore anymore; instead, she will be Mrs. Gilmore-Danes. Her throat constricts, and her shoulders heave in relief. _Thank God!_

Rory comes into the room just as Lorelai's tears begin to overflow. "Mom? Mom?" she says worriedly, but Lorelai shakes her head, having trouble speaking. "It's okay, Mom," says Rory, seeming to guess her mother's predicament. "You don't have to say anything." She pulls Lorelai into a hug and speaks softly. "It's real."

Lorelai half laughs, half cries, as the reality of the situation crashes over her all over again. The first time Luke and she slept together after a year apart, she ended up crying from the relief of being with him again, and she feels the same way now. _It's happening. Oh my God, oh my God, it's finally real._

Hugging her daughter back, Lorelai takes a deep breath and forces herself to speak. "I'm getting married today, and I really, really love him, and next to you, he's my best friend, and even though I'm pregnant, I can still eat the lobster at our wedding." She sniffles, not caring how ridiculous she sounds. "I mean, you can believe that? That with all of the restrictions during pregnancy like no coffee and raw eggs and sushi and alcohol, the doctor said I can still eat a little tiny bit of rock lobster? How did I get to be so lucky?"

Rory smiles and wipes away one of her mother's tears with her finger. "I don't know, Mom. I think it has something to with there not being as much mercury in rock lobster as other lobsters. Then again, it might have something to do with all the time you've waited for this, too." Before Lorelai can respond, she gives her mother's arm a squeeze. "Now missy, are you done crying now? April and I intend to feed you before your entourage comes to help clean you up, and you certainly don't want to be red and puffy eyed at your wedding. Shall we relocate to the kitchen, to sample some of those delectable chocolate chip waffles your fiancé snuck by to drop off last night?"

A large smile appears on Lorelai's face. Although she tries to tone it down, aware of how silly she looks, her smile only widens. "Lead the way, maid of honor of mine. I don't think I've ever been more ready."


	12. Luke & Lorelai

Author's Note: I didn't get many reviews for the last chapter (not that I'm complaining, as it certainly wasn't one of my favorites). However, I am hoping that this will get more reviews, as guess what? IN THIS CHAPTER, IT'S LUKE AND LORELAI'S WEDDING! It was tricky, but extremely fun creating that moment we never got to see onscreen, so please tell me what you think. I should also add that coincidentally, the first Saturday after Christmas in 2007 turned out to be the 29th, my parents' wedding anniversary! They actually just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, and this chapter is dedicated to them. Not that they've read any of my fanfics yet, but there's a first time for everything, right?

I looked online for info about marriage ceremonies, but I'm still not sure I got everything right (for example, in my chapter, L&L don't say "I do" since their own written vows replace that). Still, if anything is amiss, we'll just chuck it up to the fact that a wedding in Stars Hollow is probably anything but traditional. ;)

Also in this chapter is the result of your answers about whether Luke would wear a wedding band. I think you'll be anything but surprised, but either way, I hope you like the vote that won. :)

P.S. _Gilmore Girls _is stalking me. For more info, check out my two "Life is weird" posts on my tumblr, simply-soubrette.

* * *

Luke & Lorelai

_"Well, Lorelai, I can't say I've followed every bit of advice my mom gave me, namely trying in vain to settle for someone else and being so scared that I screwed up our relationship a couple of times, but I can say that everything she wrote about love is true. You're smart and vivacious and goddarn beautiful, and whenever I was lost in a dark haze, you've helped remedy that just by walking down through the diner door. She would have loved you, and my father would have too, and that's the truth. For most of my life, I've thought about my parents' impossible standard in relationships without really getting it, but now I do. While in some ways, I wish this day had come a little sooner, I love you, Lorelai Gilmore, and I know that I can handle anything as I long as I have you by my side."_

_

* * *

_After planning more weddings in her career than she can possibly count, Lorelai should be more prepared for her own wedding. After all, it isn't as though she doesn't know what to do. She has watched countless brides walk down the aisle before. Besides, how hard can walking to a destination possibly be? Even if for some odd reason, she were to stumble, she will have her father to hold her up (though it is true they have had their differences in the past, Lorelai knows that Richard is happy to be sharing this moment with her). She's never really understood brides who were so worked up about their weddings before. Sure, she hasn't wanted to screw up her wedding either, but to her, it has always been less about the ceremony and more about the person she will be spending her life with. The wedding itself is just an added bonus.

Now that her wedding day is here, however, she feels differently. A thousand butterflies are beating around in her chest, and Lorelai is torn between excitement for the ceremony and wishing that things were already over. Though she knows things are going to go just as planned, after all of the twists and turns in Luke's and her relationship, she can't help worrying in spite of herself.

She is distracted, however, when she notices something. As Lorelai and the bridesmaids wait in a room in the Dragonfly for the ceremony to start, she finds her gaze unexpectedly drawn to a nearby window. True, her sense of smell has been offer slightly since her pregnancy, but she knows this particular scent very well. Tentatively, she looks outside, and there it is. Although there has been a thin coat of snow on the ground since Christmas, it has been beginning to melt. Now, however, big fat snowflakes are falling on the ground, falling more speedily by the moment.

In that moment, Lorelai does not think. Instead, she turns to Rory, a wide smile forming on her face. "Are we sure Luke and the groomsmen are out of sight?" she asks, and her startled daughter looks up from adding the finishing touches to April's makeup.

"I think they're in a bedroom upstairs," she says, after a quick glance at April, "but-"

That is all the confirmation Lorelai needs. Before she even knows what she is doing, she is opening the door and dragging Rory out. Squealing, Rory follows her, protesting that she has no idea what she is doing. The other equally confused bridesmaids are following. Keeping out her guard to make sure that Luke is not in sight, Lorelai leads her bridal party to a nearby emergency exit, located in the kitchen. Ignoring the stares from Manny and the other chefs, she steps outside onto a stair.

"Look," she says, closing her eyes to breath in the familiar scent of snow. _"Look."_

A flake of snow falling on her head, and Rory's squeal bring her to the present. Before either is aware of what they are doing, Lorelai and Rory find their arms around each other, giggling hysterically. The rest of the bridal party-Lane, April, Sookie, Liz, and even Martha and Doula, who is wrapped up in her mother's arms-are staring at them from the kitchen, none willing to risk the cold from going outside. Sookie understands what they are doing, but her excitement does not match Lorelai and Rory's. Still laughing, Rory and Lorelai begin jumping up and down, then laugh harder when they realize the impossibility of jumping in dresses and high heels.

Not wanting to twist her ankle or ruin her dress, Lorelai stops jumping and takes a deep breath. Although they are still standing on the steps leading to the ground and not on any snow covered earth, the concrete steps could still ruin her shoes. Grinning, she turns to Rory. "Hey, kid, do you think there's any chance of it snowing in June?" Lorelai says, pointing at the slight budge visible on her belly, and Rory shakes her head.

"All I know is that Jack Frost certainly does seem to have a softness for you," Rory says, and the two laugh harder.

"Hey, hey, hey, do you think he's trying to compete with Luke? Cause I have to tell you, Jack's been around for me an awful long time, so it really all boils down to whether or not I value snow more or Luke's coffee-"

"What in the world is going around here?" says Emily, stepping outside. The rest of the bridal party is still huddled in the kitchen, looking on with wide eyes. Rory and Lorelai sober immediately as Emily joins them on the stairs. Her lips are pursed. "I have no idea what is going on here, but the wedding's due to start in fifteen minutes. You and Rory are going to look a fright with all of that snow in your hair. I was just checking on Luke, your father, and the groomsmen, and they're almost ready. I never thought I'd say this, but I think you could all stand to learn from the men's example."

"But we were just checking out my wedding gift," Lorelai says, making her eyes bigger. Emily just sighs.

"Well, now that you've checked it out, let's go inside and put on the finishing touches. Goodness knows, at least you weren't wearing my tiara or that would have been a true disaster. The last thing I need is to get back my wedding tiara, after it's ruined from the snow." Emily turns to Rory, a familiar disciplinary glint in her eyes. "Rory, I would have expected better of you. I realize you and your mother have your things, such as making those ridiculous faces at your Chilton graduation, but as maid of honor, it's your duty to keep your mother in line. Now let's get your mother inside before she does anything more foolish."

"Yes, Grandma," says Rory, barely able to suppress a grin. They make their way back inside and in the direction of the room they were getting ready in, Sookie explaining to the others about Lorelai's obsession with the snow.

Just as they are stepping inside the room, Lorelai turns to her mother. "Ooh! Will you tell Luke something, cause it's really important!"

"Honestly, Lorelai," Emily says, rolling her eyes, but she softens when Lorelai widens her eyes again, and she seems to remember what day it is. "All right, Lorelai. What is it?"

"Will you tell him that snow is still my bestest friend ever, and he's going to have to make me a lot of coffee after I'm done carrying his baby in order to compete with the wonder of wonders which is Jack Frost?"

"You want me to tell him _that_, not minutes before you're marrying him?" Emily says, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Well, you could also tell him that he needs to add in many other dirty favors, but seeing as Luke gets embarrassed when I say things like that in public, I think it'd be better if you didn't."

"Never mind, Grandma," Rory says, shooting Lorelai a look. "You know how she is. Go tell Luke that, and then you can help Mom put on the tiara. We'll be fine here." She crosses her arms and looks at the bridal party. "Now, are we going to let the guys beat us or are we going to hurry up?"

After shouting their determination to beat the guys, the bridal party quickly gets to work on their finishing touches of getting ready.

It is not until Lorelai is retouching her lipstick that the nerves really start to intensify. Glancing up to see Rory finishing the makeup on April makes her heart rate increase. Normally, Lorelai rambles whenever she is nervous, but not this time. Instead, she finds her gaze glued to her daughter and almost stepdaughter.

Rory looks beautiful in her long midnight blue dress that Lorelai made for her, with the small rhinestones decorating the bodice and a thin ribbon decorating the hem. She is wearing her hair tied up, her hair slightly curled at the end, and her silver eyeshadow, earrings, and bracelet add to the winter's blue-and-silver winter theme. Despite the lack of genetic connection, April looks very much like a younger version of Rory. Her hair is also tied up, though her curls, of course, are natural. She is wearing a slightly altered younger version of the other bridesmaids dresses; it is midnight blue, like the other bridesmaids' and Rory's, but has a ribbon that goes around the middle, giving it a more youthful quality. April smiles at her reflection in the hand mirror Rory holds up to her. While most teenager girls would have protested at the sparing amount of makeup Rory used, April seems pleased by her almost stepsister's job.

Emily reenters the room before Lorelai can observe the two girls further. Walking up to Lorelai, she seems to be holding in her own frustration. "Luke says that unless Jack Frost came in and gave you that baby, he's not going to worry about competition," Emily says, pointing to Lorelai's middle. "Honestly, Lorelai, I can't understand your senses of humor. It's ill-fated to joke about such things on your wedding day."

"Well, it's a good thing you're not the one marrying him then," Lorelai says, with a hint of a smile in her voice. Even so many years after moving out of the house, scandalizing her mother always manages to cheer her up. Ignoring this comment, Emily picks up the tiara from a nearby table. The rest of the bridal party crowds around as Emily scrutinizes Lorelai, trying to find the best spot to place the tiara. Lorelai flinches as the tiara's comb grinds into her scalp. Emily secures it even further by adding a few bobby pins.

Emily stands back to admire her daughter. "Are you sure you want to wear your hair down?" she asks says, motioning to the curls flowing to Lorelai's shoulders. "And not wear a veil? I still stand firm to my comment that a veil would make your head look too big, but if you really want one, then I suppose-"

"Mom," Lorelai interrupts, laughing, "you pushed so hard for the tiara that there is no way you're getting out of it now." She glances at the veil that they brought just in case, which is lying on the same table as the tiara was. "Besides, I think you're right. I certainly haven't appreciated all the comments about my big head over the years, but the tiara does look better." She fingers the soft satin of her dress, thinking back to all the nights she snuck out of bed to try on her wedding dress over the past month. Though she would rather die than admit it, she secretly likes that the tiara was also worn by her mother. "As for my hair down, I like it this way, and it sets me apart from everyone else. You wouldn't want anyone to mistake, say, Rory, as the bride, would you?"

"As if your wedding gown hasn't already given it away," Rory mutters.

"Hey, stranger things have been done than not getting married in white! I think it's quite clear from looking at me that I'm definitely not one of those brides who is as pure and innocent as the untouched snow, so what's stopping me from getting married in black?"

Emily does not look amused. Sighing, Lorelai turns back to her mother. "Mom, I like my hair this way, and the tiara's really fine. You wouldn't want me to back out of my something borrowed, would you?"

Emily glances back at the tiara in her daughter's hair. "I suppose you're right. We don't have enough pins to give you both a tiara and a veil, anyway." She moves closer to Lorelai before anyone can protest. Lorelai is taken aback by the uncharacteristic softness on her mother's face. "You look beautiful, Lorelai," she says quietly, and Lorelai feels a surge of warmth spreads through her.

"Thanks, Mom," she says softly.

Emily glances at the room's clock, then at the women surrounding them. "Well, it looks like we finished right on time. Come on, Lorelai, your father is waiting for you."

When Lorelai hesitates, Emily holds back and touches her daughter's hand. Startled, Lorelai looks into her mother's face. Emily waits until the rest of the bridal party has passed them before speaking.

"You know, Lorelai, at my wedding to your father, my mother told me that the best way to calm my nerves was to think of your father's face when he saw me. I know it seems a little silly, but it really did help." She studies Lorelai carefully. "Just try it."

Lorelai opens her mouth, prepared to retort, but that is when a vision of Luke's face comes sailing into her mind's eye. She feels herself smiling, as her body is overwhelmed with the same tingles that she first felt years ago at the diner, when Luke first inadvertently touched her arm. Luke is waiting for her. There are a thousand ways she can trip and fall on the way to the altar, but nothing will stop the fact that Luke will be waiting for her.

When she looks at her mother's face, she notices that Emily is also smiling. While ordinarily, her reaction would be to back away from anything that makes her mother smile, it is different this time. So instead, she gives her mother's hand a squeeze and begins to walk towards the wedding hall. She is buoyed by one thought: irrational concerns aside, no matter what, there will always be Luke.

* * *

Luke has not been to many weddings. Aside from a few of his sister's (her wedding to T.J. was, by far, the most extravagant of her weddings), the only other weddings Luke have gone to are a few of his friends' from high school, who still refer to him as Butch. Crazy Carrie has somehow always been at all of the weddings in question, keeping him from enjoying himself. In fact, Liz's wedding to T.J. was the only wedding he really enjoyed, and that was mostly because of a certain blue-eyed brunette.

But Crazy Carrie Duncan is not here today, and even if she was, she would not be able to dampen his mood. For, in less than five minutes, Luke will be meeting Lorelai Gilmore at the altar, and they will finally be pronounced man and wife.

Jess taps Luke on the shoulder. Both are waiting at the side door outside the banquet hall while the rest of the wedding party waits in the main hallway outside of it. David and Archie are in the middle of a debate about who has filled more seats during their respective services and do not notice their conversation. "How are ya doing?" Jess asks softly.

As Luke glances over at his nephew, he is taken again by how much Jess has grown up from the angry boy he took in six years ago. He cut his hair a few inches for the wedding and did not even complain about the black suit he is wearing. Though Luke initially considered asking April to do the job, a la the same way Rory did for her grandparents' vow renewal, the thought of his nephew stopped him. True, Jess has not always been the most stable person in Luke's life, but he remembers how supportive Jess was of Lorelai's and his first date. The last thing he wants to do is put his relationship with Jess aside because of April, and it seems fitting that Jess will share a second wedding with him.

Luke nods to the Rabbi and Reverend, who are still lost in conversation. "The more I focus on these two, the more I wonder how the hell I've managed to stay in Stars Hollow for so long."

Jess smirks. "So you're not imagining how good Lorelai will look when you've got her alone tonight, are you?"

"Jess!" Despite how unconventional the two religious figures are, the last thing Luke wants to do is have this conversation in their presence.

Jess shrugs nonchalantly. "Don't worry, Uncle Luke. I was pretty disturbed when Rory first told me about Lorelai's and her late night Skype chats, with Lorelai lying in bed in one of your shirts, but I've gotten used to the idea. After all, it sure is better than you when you were lying in bed alone night after night, with only me and dreams of Lorelai to keep you company."

Luke glowers at him, but Jess just laughs. "I'm kidding, Luke. I promise I have plenty of nice things to say in my Best Man speech later. Actually, I just wanted to congratulate you again." An uncharacteristically serious glint sparkles in Jess's eyes. "Lorelai and I might have had our differences in our past, but you finally bagged the girl. For that, I have to admire you."

A small smile crosses Luke's face, visualizing the beautiful woman who will be meeting him at the altar. "Yeah," he says quietly. "I guess I did."

The first strum of the music interrupts their conversation. Though Lorelai and Luke were both hesitant when the town troubadour approached them, asking if he could play for their wedding, they eventually gave in when he agreed to only play and not sing. Deep down, Luke knew there was no use fighting it. They have half of Stars Hollow squeezed in to watch, both the Reverend and the Rabbi marrying them off, Kirk as both their photographer and D.J., and a Chuppah to stand under, despite their religion. Quirkiness was inevitable from the infamous town meeting, when Taylor challenged their relationship's effect on the town.

"I guess that's our cue," Jess says, referring to the music. Feeling unsteady, Luke walks in with the other three men and makes his way to the altar. He can feel everyone's eyes on him from their spots in their seats. As someone who takes great pains to stay out of the spotlight, this is uncomfortable. While Kirk escorts Emily to her seat (she was understandably horrified by this, but all the other available men are already in the ceremony), he concentrates on the hall's decorations: the snowflakes, the fake icicles, and the tinsel. Some of the decorations are left over from Christmas, but since he knows Christmas is Lorelai's favorite time of year, he did not challenge the decorations.

Luke's gaze is quickly torn away from the wedding decorations when the music begins to get underway. He watches as the bridesmaids, dressed in their sweeping midnight blue dresses, are escorted by their respective groomsmen/significant others-Lane and Zach, Liz and T.J., and Sookie and Jackson. A stunning Rory, who seems to be the only exception to the rule, meets Jess at the altar. A quick glance passes between the two, and if Luke were not so nervous, he would have been taken aback by the slight shine in their eyes.

Next, Martha, Davey, and April follow Rory. Luke beams at the sight of his daughter, who, with her hair tied back and her beautiful midnight blue dress, looks more beautiful and mature than he has ever seen her. Due to the fact that they were not able to find her a groomsman partner, April is holding Doula, who is serving as a flower girl with Martha. While Davey, the ring bearer, and Martha do their jobs without any problem, April is trying to coax her cousin into dropping the flower petals. The toddler, however, is completely uninterested, and people laugh as April struggles to drop flower petals, while still holding Doula.

Luke himself is so amused by April's struggle that he almost fails to notice Lorelai's entrance. He, the grumpy diner man who yelled "Finally!" at the end of _Love Story_, finds his heart quickening when he sees Lorelai. Though he has never quite understood that classic moment where the groom first eyes his bride, it all becomes clear to him in that moment. Lorelai, with her mother's tiara on top of her head and her curls flowing freely, is wearing her altered version of the wedding dress; while she has preserved most of the original dress's bodice, the white skirt, which is even more flowy than it was before, is her own creation. Her blue eyes are shining brighter than he has ever seen before, and the flushed cheeks are illuminated by the light. Luke finds himself thinking that she looks even more beautiful than she did in the original dress. Though the dress, which has been let out from the original, mostly manages to cover Lorelai's developing body, Luke finds himself excited by the thought of his child growing underneath.

Lorelai's eyes meet his quickly. She is wearing a shy smile on his face, and though he has half a mind to pull one of the same faces she used to cheer Rory on at her Chilton graduation to waken her from her atypical pensive mood, he finds himself unable to do anything but grin. She winks at him, and he feels himself feeling better. She is still his Lorelai, and nothing will change that.

Richard gives his daughter a kiss on the cheek when they reach the end of the aisle. Lorelai's eyes tear up, and Luke smiles, knowing how grateful Lorelai is for her father's support. While she considered walking down the aisle alone initially, he knows she is glad she asked her father for a rare favor. For his part, he is glad, too. Luke doubts he will ever fully understand Richard, but he does know that, despite his trouble understanding and communicating with her, Richard truly does love his daughter deeply.

The Reverend clears his throat, interrupting the moment. "Who gives this woman to this man in marriage?" After a nod from Richard, Rory, her eyes shining at the change from the sexist tradition, says, "Her parents and I do." The Reverend nods, a slight smile forming on his face, and Richard gives Lorelai one last smile before handing her to Luke.

Luke finds himself staring into Lorelai's face, as he holds her right hand. "Hi," she says softly. Luke can only grip her hand firmer, wondering what in the world he did to deserve such a perfect woman in his life.

"Dear friends and family," says the Reverend, "we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore in marriage…a day, which I'm sure you all agree, has been a long time coming." The crowd laughs, and Lorelai catches his eye, no doubt also wondering how long people will continue to concentrate on that particular fact. "As I'm sure you've gathered, Lorelai and Luke are not known for being traditionalists, so while I am going to be doing the bulk of the ceremony, Rabbi Barans will be doing a short speech about the origins of the Chuppah. Believe me, we're just lucky that Lorelai made the ceilings this high and that Luke has man power, because this Chuppah was not easy to carry in." The crowd laughs again. Lorelai's eyes sparkle impishly, and he knows that she is thinking a "Dirty!" about just how much man power he has.

As the Rabbi steps forward and delivers his speech on the origins of the Chuppah-including a tidbit Luke wished he'd left out about how the Chuppah was used as Lorelai's backyard archway, after Luke carved it for she and Max-he finds his mind wandering to all of the other times he saw the Chuppah over the years. Never in his whole life, from the time he finished carving it to when all of the times he saw it while coming over to fix her house, did he ever guess he would be lucky enough to stand under it with Lorelai. Remembering something Lorelai said about their first wedding being doomed because they forgot about the Chuppah, Luke wonders how they ever let themselves forget.

The readings that follow go without a hitch, excluding Liz having to bring up Doula to deliver her reading and then crying in the middle of it. Nonetheless, the whole time, Luke finds his mind focused on the moment that is to come. He doesn't need corny quotes about love to know what he is feeling, and although he knows the worst of the waiting is over, he is still anxious about what is to come.

Still, Luke finds himself startled when the time comes for their vows. Unlike T.J., he did not forget to put his vows in his pocket, but he has never been a very good public speaker. He is more than a little relieved when the Reverend turns to Lorelai, so that she can go first. She stares at him for a long time, her eyes filling up with tears, before she finally takes a breath and speaks.

"Oh my God, Rory, it's a moment for your diaries! Your mommy has been rendered speechless!"

Everyone laughs at this statement, particularly Rory, whose eyes are also beginning to fill with tears. Out of the corner of his eye, Luke catches Jess giving Rory an awkward, but firm grin. For his own part, Luke is also smiling. He watches Lorelai's shoulders rise, and she speaks again, her voice slightly hoarse from her tears.

"Luke, as I'm sure you already know, the moment I sat down at your diner, I fell in love…with your coffee." Her pause makes everyone laugh all over again, and the audience's reactions seem to have given Lorelai enough strength to go on. Speaking in a much more serious tone, Lorelai continues. "While I always have, despite denying it at the time, found you extremely attractive, I think the first moment I really began to see who you were happened about six months later. I had planned to meet Rory at the diner after a long day at the inn, and when I arrived, I found Rory sitting at the counter, talking to you. Even though there were a few other people in the diner, there you were, talking to my daughter. You weren't saying much-especially then, you were the master of the monosyllable-but you were listening, and you had even let Rory spread out her school books on the counter, when you normally hate people taking up unnecessary room. That was the first time I really realized that even though your talking habits couldn't even begin to compare to mine, you were a pretty darn good listener.

"Over the years, we became closer friends, and I realized just how good of a person you really are. You're kind and caring and thoughtful and funny in this way that maybe only I can appreciate, and overall, you just really complete me. While I know everyone else thinks we waited too long, I think there was a reason we were friends first. Even last year, you were still there for me, and I think this Chuppah alone says that no matter how you felt about the decisions I've made, overall, all you wanted was for me to be happy." She smiles at him, her tears overflowing. "Well, I know I'm going to ruin my mascara saying this, but what you didn't realize-and what I believe with all my heart-is that I never needed any other man to make me happy. Instead, _you've_ always been the one to make me happy, and now it's here, and you have, and I can't tell you how excited I am about spending the rest of my life with you."

A tear rolls down her cheek. Lorelai sniffles again, and Luke reaches up with his finger and stops another tear from falling. He feels like he could burst, he is so overwhelmed and happy. Despite his initial misgivings about giving a speech in public, he is almost able to forget the audience's presence as he looks into Lorelai's beautiful blue eyes.

"When I was gathering up my stuff to move into your house, I came across a letter my mom wrote me about a week before she died. She gave Liz and my dad ones too, but anyway, this was mine." He produces a worn, yellowed piece of paper from his pocket. The crowd is completely silent, no doubt understanding the significance of Luke sharing something so personal. "She said a lot of things in the letter, mostly stuff that isn't at all relevant, since it's about who I was at ten, but…anyhow, I marked the part that I thought was important." His hands shaking slightly, Luke clears his throat. In front of him, Liz is already beginning to wipe her eyes. Adjusting his angle so that he is solely focused on Lorelai, he begins to speak.

"'I also wanted to take this time to talk to you about love. Now Luke, I know that you are no doubt rolling your eyes about this already and probably complaining that you've learned enough in Liz's Disney movies about love to last a lifetime, but this is different. I wanted to tell you about your father and me. While no doubt you won't really understand why I am telling this until you are a little older, I hope that someday my words will help you along when love does come your way.

"'Your father and I met through our mutual friendship with Maisy and Buddy, and I could instantly tell that your father was different than anyone I had ever known. He was passionate about life and deeply caring, and I knew that he was exactly the kind of person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. We had an instant chemistry, and I know your father felt it, too. Despite this, things weren't so easy. I was dating someone else at the time, and your father had just come out of a hard relationship, and it took another year before we were finally able to come together. While things weren't perfect between us, and our time was cut too short, I loved every moment I spent with your father. I will never stop wishing that I could have been there to watch Liz and you continue to grow up, but out of everyone else in the world, I am glad your father will be taking care of the two of you. He's been a wonderful father to you both, and I know he will guide you towards becoming successful adults.

"'What I am really getting at, though, is offering you some motherly advice. As much as I love your father, he isn't good at this kind of thing, and I wanted to make sure you hear it. It's about what will no doubt happen when you find love someday." Lorelai catches her breath, and she looks at him with wide eyes. After giving Lorelai a brief smile, Luke continues. Though it is still awkward to read them in such a full room, his mother's words have soothed him enough to continue.

"What I want most for you is to be as happy in your own love life as your father and I were. I want you to be kind and considerate and caring with whatever woman you find, but I know you, Luke, and I know that that won't be a problem. What I also want to tell you most of all is not to be afraid of love. Part of the reason I took so long to break up with the guy I was currently dating was because of my own fear, and I don't want that for you. When you find someone, you'll know. Maybe it will be scary, but one day, you'll see her eyes sparkling at you, and everything will fall into place. I want you to take full advantage of the time you have with her, because believe me, there's never time enough. But I also want you to be patient. Whether you ask her out right away or it takes ten years"-the entire room bursts out laughing at this, and Luke feels himself flushing-"if the girl is the one, it will be worth the wait. I want you to find someone compassionate and courageous who makes you laugh, and I want her to the most beautiful girl in the world in your eyes. Most of all, I want you to have the same luck with love as I did. Don't settle for anything unless it's not completely right. And when the time is right, and you're standing at the altar looking into her eyes, I want you to remember that no matter who she is, I love her too. I have faith in your decisions, Luke, and I will always love anyone who makes you happy. I hope that when the time is right, you will share that with her."

He puts down the piece of the paper and looks back at Lorelai. Her eyes are glimmering again, and Luke has to contain himself, so that he does not kiss her right then and there. "Well, Lorelai, I can't say I've followed every bit of advice my mom gave me, namely trying in vain to settle for someone else and being so scared that I screwed up our relationship a couple of times, but I can say that everything she wrote about love is true. You're smart and vivacious and goddarn beautiful, and whenever I was lost in a dark haze, you've helped remedy that just by walking down through the diner door. She would have loved you, and my father would have too, and that's the truth. For most of my life, I've thought about my parents' impossible standard in relationships without really getting it, but now I do. While in some ways, I wish this day had come a little sooner, I love you, Lorelai Gilmore, and I know that I can handle anything as I long as I have you by my side."

The audience bursts into applause as Lorelai steps forward and embraces him. It is not a kiss, but somehow the gesture is every bit as intimate. After waiting until their moment has passed, the Reverend says, "May I have the rings, please?"

After a prod from his father, Davey steps forward. Everyone smiles at Davey's eagerness to make his small task as big as possible. Once he has given the Reverend the cushion with the rings on it, Lorelai pats the little boy on his shoulder. Delighted by her reaction, Davey grins as he rejoins his father.

The Reverend clears his throat before speaking. "Luke, repeat after me. 'I, Luke Danes, give you, Lorelai Gilmore, this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you, for as long as I live.'"

Luke's tone is especially gruff, in an attempt to cover up his emotions at the words. "'I, Luke Danes, give you, Lorelai Gilmore, this ring as a visible and constant symbol of my promise to be with you, for as long as I live.'"

He slips the wedding band onto Lorelai's left ring finger, the diamonds sparkling in the light. Although not as fancy as her engagement ring, the wedding ring is also gold and decorated with a row of small diamonds. Lorelai holds up her finger, admiring the new addition to her hand.

Once again, the Reverend speaks. "Lorelai, you repeat after me. 'I, Lorelai Gilmore give you, Luke Danes, this ring as a visible and constant symbol for my promise to be with you, for as long as I live.'"

Lorelai's voice is also choked with emotion when she speaks. "'I, Lorelai Gilmore give you, Luke Danes, this ring as a visible and constant symbol for my promise to be with you, for as long as I live.'"

In turn, she slips the ring onto his finger. Although not a jewelry guy, Luke feels himself catching his breath as the cold, gold ring makes contact with his skin.

He swallows, surprised by the tears running down his cheek. He did not even realize he was crying until he felt the tears' saltiness. The last time he cried with the same kind of emotion was at Rory's Chilton graduation. Though at Rory's graduation, he was embarrassed by his show of emotion, this time, his emotion hardly registers. He has never been happier than at that moment, and by God, so what if people know it? Across from him, Lorelai's tears mirror his own. "I love you," she says softly.

The Reverend speaks before Luke has a chance to answer. "It is my great pleasure to announce that by the power vested in me by the State of Connecticut…and of course Taylor Doose"-the entire room cracks up at his statement, and Luke finds himself smirking, imagining Taylor's reaction-"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Luke, you may kiss your bride."

Despite his normal misgivings about public displays of affection, Luke does not hesitate to take Lorelai into his arms. Their kiss is long and sweet, and through their embrace, Luke can make out the growing bump of their baby. He finds himself wishing this moment could last forever; this moment where they are both so blissfully happy and Lorelai is his and his alone, and they can revel in their job about their marriage without the town interrupting.

Still, as is often the case, the town ends up interfering before their kiss is almost over. "You go get it, sugar!" Babette calls, and Patty makes her own suggestive comment about saving it for that night. Flushing, Luke lets go of Lorelai. Grinning at the expression on his face, she takes his hand and pulls him so that they are both facing the crowd.

The Reverend and Rabbi, who has been standing with the groomsmen during the Reverend's party of the ceremony, speak the next statement in unison. "Ladies and gentleman, let us finally present to you Mr. and Mrs. Danes."

The sound of the loud cheers and catcalls almost make Luke lose his footing. As the crowd's reaction grows even louder, Lorelai begins giggling hysterically. "What?" Luke says, struggling to speak over the crowd.

Lorelai shakes her head and tries to suppress another giggle. "It's just that this town is our town, you know what I mean?"

Luke laughs and squeezes her hand. "You sure you still want to raise our kid in this lunatic hole?"

Lorelai's blue eyes sparkle even brighter than normal. "Believe me, husband, I wouldn't have it any way."

* * *

An hour later, after trying to rush through an incredibly long receiving line and taking wedding pictures on the altar, Luke and Lorelai find themselves taking a covered horse-and-carriage ride around town. The horse-and-carriage was a surprise present from Emily, no doubt as an ode to her fantasy of Lorelai's Romanov themed wedding, in order to occupy them while the reception is being set up. Most weddings at the Dragonfly take place during the summer, so that they can use the banquet hall for the wedding and have the party outside, but on account of the weather, the banquet hall is being used for both the ceremony and the reception. Lorelai tried to convince Luke to use the diner for the reception, but it soon became clear that his diner would not accommodate all of their guests and a few stray Stars Hollow citizens who have crashed.

Lorelai sticks her head out the window and lets the snowflakes fall on her head. She smiles at they pass familiar Stars Hollow landmarks. "Hello, magical Doose's market and magical husband's diner," she says, referring to her belief that everything looks more magical when it is covered by snow. "What do you think my husband will say about stopping here and giving me a cup of coffee? The doctor did say coffee in moderation is okay, and if I'm not mistaken, this is a special occasion."

When she settles herself back into the carriage, she finds Luke raising his eyebrows. "So, let me get this straight. You seriously expect us to just ask this man to stop by the diner and have me reopen it, just so you can have half a cup of coffee?"

"Well, my mom did say that getting the banquet hall ready again might take some time!" Lorelai retorts. "At any rate, it's better than just going into circles all day!" Seeing Luke's expression, she sighs. "Fine. Still, we might as well ask him to take us halfway to Woodbridge and back again, just so we can kill a little time. I don't want to be driving around in circles around Stars Hollow for the next hour."

Once the driver is guiding them to a back, scenic route that April often used to ride her bike from Woodbridge to Stars Hollow, Lorelai settles back into Luke's arms. "This is nice," she says, still watching the snow fall outside. "I know my mom went a little over-the-top on finding a carriage with some gold aligned on it, and it's true this would be more romantic if it were dark out and not four in the afternoon or whatever, but it's nice to be in a carriage with you again. I have to tell you, I didn't see that coming."

Luke grins. "Being in a carriage with me again or being in a carriage under these circumstances?"

Lorelai laughs. "Well, both. I thought there would be an apocalypse before the stars would ever be aligned for us to get married, but yeah, I certainly didn't expect you to come on a carriage ride with me again, either. It just figures that the frightening Emily Gilmore would be the one to have you do it." She leans her head on his shoulder and watches as they pass a bunch of frost-covered evergreens, towards the side of the road. "Still, it's kinda weird being in a carriage with you again, you know? So much has changed."

Luke shrugs. "I guess so. At the same time, it's also nice. We've had some pretty great memories."

Lorelai feels herself grinning. "Oh, yeah? Like what?"

Luke groans. "Seriously? Are you going to make me share every one of them?"

"Well, I don't know, husband. We have gone through an awful lot to get through to this point. I think refreshing my memory might be helpful."

"Okay, okay." He tilts her head so that she is looking at him, then speaks in a lower tone. "Like you coming in like a whirlwind and giving me that horoscope the first day we met. Some of those conversations we had at the counter when you were alone at the diner and even just playing cards there or whatever. Breaking those stupid bells together, never mind that fight about Nicole that followed. Trying not to laugh with you at Liz and T.J.'s wedding, and you opening your Inn, and Rory coming home. Almost kissing you after I came home from helping with the Renaissance fair and gave you that necklace, and then being interrupted by that stupid apple festival. Kissing at the gazebo after getting engaged-both times. Spending the whole night with you in my arms after finding out about this little one here." He rubs her stomach and gazes gently into her eyes. "Do you want me to go on?"

Lorelai responds by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. "I don't know," she teases, after pulling back. "It depends."

"Depends on what?" asks Luke, now grinning.

"Depends whether this day is really happening or whether it's just some dream we both had to deal with our anger that unless an apocalypse occurred and the universe got on our side, we'd never get married."

Luke smirks. "Well, even if we wake up, and it's all a dream, at least we'll have had some really great sex."

She slaps his arm. "Cocky, aren't you?"

"Hey, I just have a pretty good feeling about tonight. Now, what are you wearing under this again?"

"Luke! We have to get through our party first!"

"Oh, and here I thought we could just get the carriage to keep going, pay the driver to drop us off somewhere, and then take advantage of our moment alone. My mistake."

"Pervert. You'll just have to wait until you throw the garter off of me later."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. I will, however, give you one hint about what's to come." She leans in so that she is whispering into his ear. "Something blue."

Laughing aloud at the typically male expression on Luke's face, Lorelai leans her head back against his shoulder. They sit in silence for several moments, watching as the snow continues to fall and turns the world white.

Unsurprisingly, it is Lorelai who breaks the silence. "Hey, husband?"

"Yes, wife?"

"Well, I know you rebuffed me last time we were in a carriage when I said that the snow makes everything look magical, but I just wanted to tell you again. Everything is white and glittering, and I've never seen anything so magical in my life." She shifts under his arm. "I don't want this night to end."

Luke places a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. "Neither do I."


	13. Rory

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait! I've been sooooooo busy, and I'm afraid I won't have a chance to fully begin the heavy process of writing more chapters till next week. However, I hope you enjoy in the meantime.

Lit fans, I've got some mild Lit in this chapter. It is, however, milder than I anticipated; though there are some mutual feelings, it's more friendship than anything else. I know, I know, but I do believe that though Rory probably did have feelings for Jess which led to the kiss in "The Real Paul Anka," she also did love Logan, and it felt unrealistic to have her jumping to another guy so soon after such a serious relationship (as we can see from Lorelai's behavior in Season Seven, that would NOT have been a good thing!). I also really wanted to maintain Rory's friendship with Jess first-I honestly don't know where they're going in this fic, so apologies if the "mild Lit" in the summary stays pretty much friendship oriented. And if you're a Rogan fan who stumbled onto this fic (good for you!) who takes offense to Rory's eventual realization that marriage really wasn't the right step for her: my apologies. I think that Rory needed to achieve her dreams of becoming a professional journalist before she entered a marriage with ANYone (even Logan!), so that's what this chapter reflects.

Also, I don't take credit for Rory's nickname for Luke. I've seen it in a few fics before, but I honestly couldn't think of another good nickname for her stepdad, and it seemed realistic that she would give him one. If you think of any good ones, let me know, and I'll change it, so I don't feel like copying. At any rate, my apologies for the copying.

* * *

Rory

_Rory feels a smile tugging at her lips. Before her breakup with Logan, she would have considered "being friends" to be useless, as it certainly didn't work out with Dean and probably didn't work out with Jess, either (read: their infamous last kiss). Now, she feels more settled with where she is. There is a reason her mom and Luke needed to be friends again, before restoring their relationship. It felt good to hear Logan's voice again, and she feels comfortable with Jess, too. While unsure of where it will lead, she nevertheless knows that she will feel a lot better with Jess Mariano in her life._

* * *

Rory has never felt more emotional than at her mother and Luke's wedding. The whole time, she fights to keep her emotions in check, but by the time her mother begins reciting her vows, her eyes begin to glimmer. By Luke's vows, the tears are overflowing, and her tears continue to overflow for the rest of the wedding. She can't remember the last time she felt so light and happy. Though it is her mother's life that will really be changing, Rory still feels the impact of it all. She and her mom have always felt for each other, and this occasion is no different.

Just before her mother and Luke go off in their carriage, Rory steals them for a moment alone. She throws her arms around her mom. "I'm so, so happy for you," she says, before including Luke in the hug.

Lorelai pats Rory on the head, her eyes also shining. "Thanks, kid. I'm unbelievably happy, too."

Rory shifts her attention to Luke, who is standing there with an uncharacteristic grin frozen on his face. "I'm gonna save most of my sappiness for my maid-of-honor speech, but I just wanted this to tell you that I've always wanted this to happen," she says seriously. "I mean, I used to be pretty protective of Mom's and my relationship, but you're the one guy I've never had trouble letting in. I'm just glad it's official now, Pops."

Luke's eyebrows rise in surprise. "Pops?"

"Well, I need some kind of name to call you to annoy you now that you're my stepfather," Rory says, grinning. Luke smiles back, and she can tell how much her nickname means to him by the sparkle in his eyes. She puts her hands on her hips in mock anger. "Now are you going to take your carriage ride, nuptials, or am I going to have to get Grandma to force you to?"

Lorelai grins. "We'll take the carriage ride. I think it's best that I protect my husband from Emily Gilmore's wrath." She leans down and gives Rory a peck on the cheek. "Bye, sweets. We'll see you later. Make sure everything at our party looks perfect."

"I will. Bye, guys. Have fun."

Lane and April are waiting for Rory outside the banquet hall. "Are they being sappy already?" April asks, wrinkling her nose.

Rory laughs. "Not yet, but I think it's a good thing we're not going in the carriage ride with them. Something tells me they're gonna be pretty unbearable then."

After April leaves to begin decorating the banquet hall, Lane touches her shoulder. "How are you doing?" she says quietly.

Looking at her oldest friend, Rory is confronted by how much Lane has grown from the shy little girl she first met in kindergarten. Still, although now a wife and mother herself, Lane's constant support of Rory has never changed. "I'm doing great," she says, beginning to smile. "I mean, I'm still trying to get my head around how much is changing, but this is what was meant to happen, you know? It's more than time to make this official."

Lane points to Rory's neck. "Is that the necklace Luke gave you?"

Rory fingers the pearls, a little awkwardly. Even though April gave her the okay, she still feels a little odd about wearing the necklace. "Oh, yeah. I tried to give it to April, since she's, you know, actually his daughter, but she didn't want it, and I just thought this would be appropriate."

Lane's brown eyes are serious. "Rory, I know he has a daughter by blood and another child on its way now, but nothing will never diminish Luke's feelings for you. He loves you, and he always has. He gave you free pie way before he knew you and your mom very well, and I know for a fact he didn't do that for just anybody. I mean, yeah, he gave me pie sometimes too, but that's cause he pitied me for having a gluten-free, vegan mother. If I remember right, you and Luke started bonding back during your mom's whole crazy 'Duke' stage, way before he and your mom became closer. Of course he would still want you to have the necklace. Having April doesn't change that." She motions towards the door. "Now, are you ready to help transform the place or am I going to have to drag you?"

Rory smiles, taken by how much Lane's words resemble April's. "Thanks, Lane. Lead the way."

An hour later, they have completely transformed the banquet hall from the room used for the wedding ceremony to a full-fledged party. After pushing aside the rows of chairs, they brought in some tables and rearranged the chairs behind the tables. In addition to the tables near the dance floor, there are also some quieter places to eat at the Dragonfly's main dining room. Though they have kept most of the winter decorations in tact, they have added a disco ball (Lane's suggestion), pushed the Chuppah to the side, and placed Hep Alien's equipment to the altar. Kirk, who is serving as D.J. for the slower songs that Zach refuses to play, has set up his microphone and C.D. player at the far end of the altar. The entire redecorating of the banquet hall has been a town effort, and even Emily seems pleased by the results.

A half hour later, Lorelai texts her to announce that Luke and she have just come back and are in need of April's and her assistance. After sneaking out front to meet them, April and Rory find their parents' coats icy and their hair dripping with melted snow. "She made the driver take a few pictures of us standing in the snow while the snow was still coming down pretty hard," Luke grumbles, as April and Rory stare at them. Laughing, they both take off the coats from their respective parents. Though Luke and Lorelai have still clearly been out in the cold, they look a little more presentable.

Before Luke and Lorelai can enter the banquet hall, April motions for them to wait, then pulls Rory onto the altar and takes a microphone. "Ladies and gentleman, our parents, the newlyweds!" she says, and Rory grins at the clear embarrassment on her mother and Luke's face after the crowd begins cheering, once again.

After that, there is a blur of activity. Lorelai only has a brief chance to compliment her on helping out with the decorations before she and Luke are corned once again by every Stars Hollow citizen. Meanwhile, everyone is getting in line for Sookie's dishes and the lobster, and Rory barely has room to around. She has almost forgotten about the other part of the night until Jess corners her. "Uh, Rory, don't you it's time to figure out the speeches?"

"Oh my god, you're right!" says Rory, wondering how Jess was the one to remember something, when she is used to being the reliable one. Looking around the room, a new thought occurs to her. "Wait a minute, isn't Grandpa supposed to go first? I mean, that's the way it is, isn't it? Grandpa, then Luke or Mom to thank everybody, and then me and you? Shouldn't we get Grandpa ready too?"

"I'll find him," says April, who has appeared nearby, and she rushes off to find Richard before either can protest. Rory concentrates her energy on making sure the guests are seated, while Jess tries to gather up their family to sit at the bride and groom table. Though she has been waiting for a chance to continue to catch up with Jess, she recognizes she will have to wait for another opportunity.

At last, after everyone has had a chance to get started on their meals, and April has saved their parents from the looming presence of Babette and Miss Patty, Jess takes his fork and taps his wine glass. With more grace than she ever would have imagined from the angry boy who first appeared in Stars Hollow six years ago, Jess speaks. "While you guys are all enjoying your food, we've arranged a few words. Mr. Gilmore, would you go first?"

Her grandfather, who is sitting a few seats from Rory to her right, near T.J., Liz, and Doula, smiles at this greeting. Unlike Emily, who still remembers Jess with disdain from the black eye incident, her grandfather actually never met Jess before last night's rehearsal dinner. Though not impressed to hear Jess did not go to college, Richard seems very taken by Jess's book. She finds herself unexpectedly relieved when her grandfather smiles at her step-cousin.

After thanking Jess, Richard turns to the audience. Their table is at the very back of the room, which makes it visible for all the guests to see. In the same formal voice he uses for Yale lectures, Richard begins to speak.

"For some time now, Emily and I been thinking about what to say at the wedding. Lorelai has always been extremely independent, and both of us were struggling to come up with an incident that would have foreshadowed this event. However, just as we were going to give up, my wife reminded me of her reaction when she first met Luke. I believe many of you remember my granddaughter Rory's sixteenth birthday party." As the crowd begins clapping and cheering, Rory gets a look at her mother and Luke out of the corner of her eye. Seated at the very end of the table to her left, Luke and Lorelai exchange quick, worried glances. Remembering something her mother told her about Emily's reaction, Rory looks down so nobody can see her laugh.

"So the story goes, my wife was just coming out of the kitchen when she saw Lorelai locked in an embrace with a strange man, who was carrying a bag of ice. A flustered Lorelai quickly stepped away and introduced her mother to the man. The man was, of course, Luke, and though she introduced him as a friend, something about their body language had made Emily very suspicious. After she and Lorelai had a moment alone, she asked my daughter how long she and Luke had been dating." Richard smiles when the audience begins laughing. "My daughter naturally denied it, but their attraction was evident even then, and Emily's and my only surprise when word reached us that they were finally dating was that it had taken them so long." He turns to Luke and raises his glass. "Luke, I know we have had some differences in the past, but please believe me when I say that I am very happy to have you as my new son-in-law. Despite our different backgrounds, I know you have loved and taken care of my daughter and granddaughter for some time now, and I have full confidence that you will continue to be there for this baby and any other grandchildren that might follow. So everyone, please join me in toasting to the happy couple. To Luke and Lorelai!" He raises his glass, and everyone follows suit.

The next toast is more unconventional. Due to Luke's hatred of speaking in public, Lorelai is the one who thanks the crowd. Rory, however, is preoccupied by Jess, who is sitting to her right. She finds herself acutely aware of each drink and bite that he takes. Though having lunch with him in Philadelphia has made this less awkward, she had not counted on what it would be like to see Jess in this circumstance. Not only are they surrounded by mutual friends, but the last time they spent so much time together in Stars Hollow was when they were still together. While unsure whether the memories are good or bad, Rory finds herself flooded with unexpected recollections from their senior year.

She is relieved when Jess introduces her speech next, and she has a break from the confusing thoughts plaguing her. Looking out into the audience, Rory finds herself overwhelmed by how many people are there for Luke and mother. It is really amazing that Stars Hollow is so supportive. Even the stray Gilmore relatives Emily insisted that they invite have not managed to upset the order of the wedding. Putting aside her distraction for the time being, Rory smiles. Concentrating on her happiness for her mother and Luke, she starts her speech.

"I'm sure almost all of you have watched my mother inhale Luke's coffee," she says, and the crowd cheers in response. Rory smiles at their eager reaction. "I myself have watched the phenomenon many times, and even after becoming so accustomed to it, I have yet to become tired of watching my mother's awestruck expression, after taking her first sip of Luke's coffee for the day. I know that I am guilty too, as Luke's coffee truly is a wonder which I have not been able to match anywhere on the campaign trail. However, I can still remember the first time I heard about Luke's coffee." She takes a few moments to transport herself back to the sights and senses of her memory, before returning to the present. "I was eleven-years-old and was in the spring of my fifth grade year when my mom picked me up from school with excitement shining on her face. After letting me ramble about my day for a couple of minutes, she told me how she had just had the most wonderful coffee in her life. Since at the time, my mother only let me have the occasional decaf, a fact that would be remedied on my thirteenth birthday, I was not impressed, but I did know that I had never seen her so excited before. Talking a mile a minute, my mother asked if I had any advice about ransacking the diner owner. While she found him grumpy, she was convinced that she could handle the grumpiness if she forced him to live with us and make coffee for her all the time. I then said something that I didn't remember until shortly after my mother announced her engagement, a few months ago." She takes a dramatic pause to make sure people are following her story. "I suggested that my mother simply marry this so-called diner man, which would allow her to get her live-in coffee without getting us tried for anything illegal, such as ransacking. While my mother balked, and I never dreamed that my mother would end up taking my suggestion, I nevertheless noticed some strange chemistry between my mother and Luke when we went to the diner a few days later. Even at eleven, I had never seen two people who did not know each other banter so easily, and over the years, I witnessed many lingering looks between Luke and my mom whenever they thought I was preoccupied. When I was sixteen, my mother asked me if I thought Luke was cute, and although I know Luke is very tired of being reminded of this, it was well known throughout Stars Hollow that Luke had feelings for my mother." She grins at Luke, who averts his gaze. "Still, my mother remained in blissful oblivion until right after my freshman year of Yale, when she pulled me outside the diner and said, 'I think I'm dating Luke.' While I know neither of them would be happy to hear me revealing their secrets, I think it is only fitting that I tell you that their first kiss happened outside this very establishment, at the Dragonfly's trial run, not long after my mom's and my discussion." A few guests nudge each other with interest. "For my own part, I simply could not be happier that they will finally be starting their own family, just as they've always dreamed. My mother has and will always be my role model for how I live my life, and I have always looked at Luke like a second father. It is my honor and privilege to call him stepfather. Above all, Luke and my mom have taught me about the value of friendship in a relationship, and that even though physical attraction is also undeniably important, it is even more important to marry someone who is always there for you and who you can talk to…in short, someone who you cannot only relate to you on a physical level, but who is also your best friend." She raises her glass. "I know that my mom and Luke will have a long, happy marriage, and I hope you will join me in toasting to two of the most genuine people I know. To my mother, the world famous coffee addict, and Luke Danes, the maker of the best coffee there is. May they continue to bring each other the same joy and, yes, frustration as they did the first time my mother walked through the diner door."

The crowd begins cheering after her speech. Lorelai walks over to Rory and gives her a hug. She flushes with pride as her mother returns to her seat, and the crowd continues to cheer. Ever since Chilton, Rory has always enjoyed making speeches. She hasn't had much of a chance to exercise her public speaking skills on the campaign, but Rory misses getting the chance to speak words she has written. It takes her a few moments to register that Jess has given her a quick pat on her arm.

When the audience's reaction dies down, Jess taps at his glass with his fork again. On his face is a smug, purely Jess expression. "I think my stepcousin said it best when she said it was clear my uncle had feelings for her mom for a _long_ time," he says, grinning cheekily. "Soon after I moved in Luke, Lorelai invited us for dinner at her house, and it was clear even then that Luke was head over heels about her. Even when they fought, I could tell it was really just a result of pent up sexual frustration." Laughter which sounds like Miss Patty's and Babette's follows, but Jess only shrugs when he notices Luke glaring at him. "When Luke was getting ready for his first date with Lorelai at my mom's wedding, my stepfather, T.J., remarked that Luke seemed even more nervous than he was. I narrowed down the choice between two ties, which I still consider a huge part of their relationship." Lorelai gives Luke a questioning look, and Luke just rolls his eyes. "Still, I think Rory really made a point when they said that Luke and Lorelai really deserve to be our role models for relationships. They're both best friends and lovers, not to mention everything else in-between, and I think we'd all be as lucky if we found someone who complimented ourselves anywhere close to the way Luke and my new aunt compliment each other. Most importantly, they got over their own issues and forgave each other, and I think that took a great deal of effort on their part, cause I'm sure at one time or another, all of us have been in a situation where our stubbornness got the better of us. But now here they are, happier than ever, and I think I owe it to Uncle Luke and Auntie Lorelai to end this speech on a happy note." He raises his glass. "To Luke and Lorelai: good luck on starting your family. May my new cousin realize how lucky he or she is to have you two in his life."

As everyone cheers for the couple, Rory realizes that Jess is looking at her. She raises her eyebrows at him questioningly, but Jess just smirks before looking away. A little annoyed by Jess's abstruseness, Rory turns away. Even though Jess is sitting right next to her, the other guests insist on engaging them in conversations, and she and Jess do not have a chance to talk throughout the dinner.

* * *

Her mother was not lying all those years ago; Luke really can dance. While their dance is not a waltz, per say, he is still light on his feet. After watching Richard and Lorelai dance for a few moments, Rory smiles at him.

"Thanks for asking me to dance," she says. "I figured you'd want to be with April."

Luke shrugs nonchalantly. "Yeah, well, I can dance with April anytime. It's not everyday I can dance with my new stepdaughter."

Remembering her conversations with Lane and April, Rory begins to smile. "Well, thank you, Pops. It's not every day I get to dance with my new stepfather, either."

They sway in rhythm to the song, continuing to glance over their shoulders at Lorelai and Richard every few moments. The song in question is Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight"-not Lorelai's choice, but Richard's, since it took Lorelai a little while to agree to have the dance in the first place. Now, as Rory watches her mother giggle while swaying, and Richard looking at his daughter with affection in his eyes, she finds herself immensely grateful that Lorelai's decision was swayed.

"I'm glad Mom decided to let Grandpa have this," she says. "I can tell it meant a lot to him-Mom too, even though she'd deny it." She looks at Luke seriously. "Grandpa really does like you. I know you don't believe it, but he meant everything he said in his speech. He thinks you compliment Mom perfectly, and he's so excited about having another grandkid."

Luke grins at the sight of his new wife and her father. "I'm glad," he says softly.

Too soon, the dance is over, and Rory gives Luke a little curtsey. "Why, thank you, kind sir. I'd ask you to dance again, but it seems you have another partner assigned to you for the rest of the evening. I hope you're nice to her. You're in for a serious lecture if you break her heart."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," says Luke, but he is still smiling.

Kirk's voice comes on to announce the last slow song before Hep Alien does their set. "Please clear the dance floor for the happy couple. In response to the many questions I got last time, the song is 'Reflecting Light' by Sam Phillips, a song that holds special sentimental meaning to Luke and Lorelai-and me too, as it was the first song I announced at a wedding. I hope you enjoy." He starts the song, ignoring T.J.'s comment of, "Hey, that was our song!" and Liz shushing him.

As the opening chords start, Luke meets Lorelai in the middle of the dance floor, seeming more self-conscious than normal. Lorelai seems shyer too, and she smiles bashfully when the lyrics begin. Still, within a few moments, she has rested her on Luke's shoulder, looking perfectly at ease and content. Kirk abandons his role as D.J. and hurries to snap pictures, as Luke and Lorelai continue to dance in their own world. Setting down the camera for a few moments, Kirk rushes back to the stage and says, "Luke and Lorelai invite you to join them on the dance floor," before rushing back to continue to take pictures.

Rory makes her way back to her table, watching as several couples, including her grandparents, Lane and Zach, T.J. and Liz, and Babette and Morey, make their way to the dance floor. She is just about to help April look after Doula, when someone taps her on the shoulder. "You want to dance?" Jess asks.

She has so many ways to respond, but instead, as she looks at Jess's face, it occurs to her there is only one answer. "Sure," she says, and, a little awkwardly, Jess leads her onto the dance floor.

They are further apart than the other couples when they start to dance. Rory feels herself more aware of her feet than normal. She feels more like thirteen than twenty-three, as she thinks about all of the things that could go wrong. What if she missteps and sends both she and Jess flying to the ground? Glancing up, she is startled to realize that Jess seems nowhere as uncomfortable as she is. Have all of the Danes men been taking lessons?

God, she doesn't know what to do. Jess has put her hand on the small of her back, and she doesn't know where to look. If she looks at Jess's face, she will inevitably stare into his eyes, and she isn't ready for that yet. After all, she certainly isn't in love with Jess anymore. She loved Logan, and while she tried to get over that by crushing on Ryan, her mother is also right; she isn't ready for another serious relationship just yet. _We're stepcousins now. I already messed up things enough by kissing and leaving last time, so who knows what could happen now…_

He is drawing her closer. She looks up to find Jess looking into her eyes, not seeming bothered by the depth of this interaction. Dammit, this is just not fair! So much has happened between them, and she is having trouble controlling her beating heart. They agreed to be friends, just friends, so what the hell does Jess think he is doing?

But it also feels nice. Jess's arms feel so comfortable around her, and though Rory knows this isn't right, she feels herself melting into a familiar pile of mush. Gosh darnit, she is not eighteen anymore…Jess hurt her last time, and the last thing she should do is follow her eighteen-year-old self's footsteps…

"Rory," Jess says softly, tightening his grip around her.

Rory forces himself to meet his gaze. "Uh-huh?"

Jess looks at her for a long time. Oh God, is she staring back? Does she want to be staring?

Before Jess has a chance to answer, the music ends, and the entire room bursts into applause. Rory steps away from Jess and glances at Luke and her mom, who are sheepishly grinning at the people around him. Jess still looks like he wants to say something else, but the song's finish has brought Rory back to reality. Just like after Jess's and her first kiss (what is it about them sharing awkward moments at weddings?), Rory has the urge to run.

"Uh, I'll be right back," she says and rushes out of the hall before Jess can protest.

* * *

Looking into the bathroom mirror, Rory thinks about all of the relationships she has had. Dean, two times. Jess, though she is trying not think about that right now. Logan, her longest relationship. All three times, she was sure she was in love (except, deep down, with Dean the second time), but all three times, the relationships ended. She thinks back to something her mom told her, about only really loving Luke. What on earth is wrong with her if, at twenty-three, she has already felt love three times? While it is true that her sixteen-year-old love for Dean was nothing like the complex love she felt for Logan, she finds herself wondering if things would have been different had she not been so serious with Dean.

Her phone rings, interrupting her thoughts. Without bothering to the check the Caller I.D., Rory places the phone to her ear. "Hey, I'm at the most momentous occasion Stars Hollow has ever seen, aka my mom's wedding. Whoever you are, make it snappy."

"Ace."

Rory takes in a deep breath, stunned beyond belief by the nickname. "Logan?" she croaks, wondering if she telepathically summoned Logan's call by thinking about him. The next words confirm the speaker's identity.

"Yeah, it's me. Uh, I can call back, if it's a bad time."

"No, it's fine!" Rory says quickly. She surveys the bathroom to confirm that she is alone. "I'm just, uh, in the bathroom right now, taking a break. They're only a few songs into the dancing, so I think I have a little while before they cut the wedding cake."

"So, you're at your mom's wedding to-Luke?"

Despite the awkwardness of the conversation, Rory can't help smiling. "Yeah, they got together right after my graduation. Luke made this whole graduation party for me before I left for the Obama campaign-um, yeah, that's right, I'm following Obama right now. Well, not right now obviously, since I'm in Stars Hollow, but…anyway. They're having a baby too-not that it was exactly an accident, cause they've always wanted kids, and everyone's really excited."

"That's really great," says Logan, sounding genuinely happy. "I mean, I didn't know Luke all that well, but I was pretty impressed after he showed up for your mom when Richard was in the hospital last year. Make sure to send over my congratulations to them. I guess congratulations are due for you too, with you being a big sister and all."

She lets out a breath. "Thanks."

"Well, I know you need to go back to the wedding, but I just wanted to tell you that my dad read your last article for _The Critical Observer_," Logan says, causing Rory to instinctively tense at the mention of Mitchum Huntzberger. While things got better between them, she will never forget his role in her break from Yale or indeed his constant manipulation of his son. "He was really impressed, and that's especially saying something, seeing as he's not even voting for Obama. I thought you'd appreciate the evidence that even my father is known to be wrong."

"Thanks," says Rory, touched by the compliment. In the wake of her confusion about the difficulty of life on the road and even rethinking how she will handle being a foreign correspondent, she appreciates the reminder of how much she has grown. "I wasn't so sure about that one, but I guess it was better than I thought."

"It definitely was. Your writing's really grown since Yale. Not that your works for the Yale Daily News weren't great either, but this was in another league entirely." As Rory blinks, digesting this information, Logan chuckles. "Yeah, I read it too. Anyway, I'm sure everyone's wondering where you are, so I'll let you go now. Remember to tell your mom and Luke congratulations."

"I will. Have a Happy New Year, Logan."

"Well, my New Year's will be spent making appearances at my parents' party, since I was required to come home for the holidays, but I'm sure all the drinks I plan to inhale will help," Logan says, a little bitterly. "You have a Happy New Year, too."

He hangs up a moment later. Rory stares at the phone in her hands, her head spinning. In all of the conversations she imagined with Logan again, she never imagined anything like this. Instead, she imagined running into him at a party her grandparents were hosting or on the trail in California. At the very least, she expected him to confess he still has feelings for her. Though still unsure of her feelings about him, she finds herself relieved that he didn't. She has enough on her mind without adding Logan's possible feelings for her to the list.

Feeling a little better, Rory walks back into the banquet hall. Hep Alien is playing an original number in their set, and the loud music vibrates off the walls. She catches Lane's eye, and Lane attempts to smile while still playing the drums.

She is surprised when she sees that Jess stand up, from where he was talking to April. "Hey," he says, approaching her. He scrutinizes her face, and she realizes it will be difficult to hide. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Rory says, attempting to swerve around Jess, so she can sit back at the table. "Just a little overwhelmed by everything, you know?"

Before she can take a few steps forward, Jess blocks her. Looking at his face, she finds herself recalling his seriousness back when he confronted her about her break from Yale. Remembering this scene now, she finds herself unable to look away.

Jess speaks, still holding her gaze. "Look Rory, I hope I'm not too out of line in saying this, but I hope I didn't, uh, scare you by asking you to dance like that. You looked lonely, and I didn't mean anything, honest."

"It's okay," Rory murmurs, wishing he would look away.

"No, it's not. Listen…Rory…." He touches her hand, and she finds herself flinching at his touch. "Look, I'd be lying if I said I didn't still think about you like that sometimes. I know I didn't treat you well when I ran away to California, and you probably deserved better than me telling you that I loved you and then running"-he smiles, and she smiles back, surprised that he has mentioned it-"but you always have meant a lot to me. Even last year, after the whole kiss and run, I wanted to hate you, but I couldn't. But the thing is, even though I might not have liked him very much, I know you were really serious with that Logan guy, and the last thing I want to do is push you into something you're not ready for." Her heart ramming, Rory watches as Jess takes a deep breath. She has never heard him speak so much before, and she is amused to learn that even Jess rambles when he is nervous. "You're right where you need to be as a journalist, and I'll be damned if I let anyone screw anything up-whether it's me or anyone else. You're so much bigger than any of us here, and that's the truth. And the truth is, hey, I haven't been a monk either. My relationships might not have been as serious as yours, but that's mostly cause of my schedule, not for lack of trying. Anyway, what I'm trying to say…" He takes another deep breath, and she giggles, amused by the nervous Jess. "I've enjoyed our conversations in the last month, and I hope we don't totally lose contact after this wedding. Do you think you'd be willing to be friends?"

Rory feels a smile tugging at her lips. Before her breakup with Logan, she would have considered "being friends" to be useless, as it certainly didn't work out with Dean and probably didn't work out with Jess, either (read: their infamous last kiss). Now, she feels more settled with where she is. There is a reason her mom and Luke needed to be friends again, before restoring their relationship. It felt good to hear Logan's voice again, and she feels comfortable with Jess, too. While unsure of where it will lead, she nevertheless knows that she will feel a lot better with Jess Mariano in her life.

Seeing her smile, Jess begins to grin too. Rory's grin grows wider, when she sees the impishness of Jess's grin. "Well, I honestly don't have much time on the campaign, but I would love to, Jess. I haven't made very many friends there yet, so phone calls and email are always welcome. Now, what do you say we grab your little cousin and dance the night away?"

At that moment, the current Hep Alien song ends, and Zach speaks into the microphone. After giving a little backstory about how Hep Alien used to feature women's names as titles for their songs (at least until Brian's use of "Lane" led to Hep Alien's brief breakup), he motions to Luke and Lorelai, who are off to the side, talking to Maisy, Buddy, Howard, and Mia. "So without further ado, I present you another Hep Alien original, 'Lorelai.' And Luke, before you make the mistake I did, I'm not hitting on your girl. I'm pretty happy with the one I have.'"

Luke's loud groan and Lorelai's squeal echo across the rooms. Rory watches as Lorelai cuts Mia off and drags Luke to the middle of the dance floor. Though Luke's dance movements are stiff, Lorelai's enthusiasm is enough for the both of them.

"Lorelai" turns out to be a soft rock song from "Luke's" point-of-view of Lorelai's and his relationship. Though she is Hep Alien's greatest fan, Rory has definitely heard better; there is a reason Hep Alien has stuck to more typical names, as "Lorelai" is not easy to rhyme. She giggles when Zach rhymes "Lorelai" with "your beautiful blue eye" and "don't you cry".

"Maybe we should sit this one out," she says to Jess. "You know, give Mom and Luke another chance to have a dance of their own."

"Nuh-uh, you asked," Jess says, his eyes sparkling. "This is your song after all, too. I'm sure April will be equally glad to share it with you."

Rory groans, but relents as Jess approaches April, and the two of them pull her onto the dance floor.

* * *

The next of the wedding party goes by quickly-too quickly, in Rory's opinion. She, Jess, and April continue to dance for the rest of Hep Alien's set, and once Hep Alien is done playing, the wedding cake is cut. She giggles, watching Luke's expression after Lorelai slams Sookie's coffee flavored wedding cake into Luke's face. Though he takes a few bites, Lorelai eats most of the cake off his face, in addition to her own piece.

After that, Lorelai's song selections are played. In addition to Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" (for obvious reasons), she has selected, "With Or Without You," "Walk Like An Egyptian," "You're Having My Baby," and "Cheeseburger in Paradise". Though Luke allows himself to be dragged to the dance floor for the first few numbers, he leaves when "Walk Like An Egyptian" starts playing. Since by this time, Jess is sick of dancing, April, Lorelai, and Rory team up together and dance the rest of the numbers by themselves.

At last, the wedding party begins to come to an end. Just before the garter pulling off is set to take place, Lorelai and Rory have a moment alone. "I love you, kid," Lorelai says, hugging Rory tightly. Both sets of blue eyes are shining.

"I love you too," Rory says softly.

They look at the dance floor, where the party is still going on; much to Luke's chagrin, Kirk is playing a medley of Jimmy Buffet songs, since he needed an array of mellow songs. They both laugh as Kirk cowers after Luke approaches him. It is so strange to realize that even after this day and so many changes, some things, like Luke and Kirk's relationship, will always stay the same.

"Before long, Kirk's going to be offering his babysitting services for Will or Wilma," Rory says, turning back to her mom and grinning.

Lorelai groans. "Oh, God, don't remind me.

"So, I don't think there are set words to say in this situation," Lorelai says after a few moments, reaching out and touching Rory on the shoulder. "I mean, it's usually the mother who is saying goodbye to the daughter, not the other way around. I guess I just want you to know, Rory, that even though I'm not going to be as lonely anymore, I'm still going to miss you. I know that this is right where you're supposed to be, and I'm so proud of you, but I wish I could be selfish and have you, Luke, and the baby in my life."

"I know, Mom, but this is where you're supposed to be too," Rory says, looking at her mom. "I can't tell you how worried I was about leaving you after the divorce, and I don't know, now I think everything was meant to work out. I wish I could stay too, but you deserve your new life as much as I do. You've waited so long for this. Don't let anything screw it up."

"How did I get such a smart kid?" Lorelai says, grinning in spite of the single tear rolling down her cheek.

Rory smiles back. "I don't know, but I think it was more than just my Yale education. Word on the street says genetics are a huge part of it, too."

She watches as her mom approaches Luke, and the garter throwing takes place. In spite of the bawdy calls, she finds a few more tears rolling down her cheeks. She smiles when April approaches her. "Things are going to be different now, aren't they?" April says, as people begin to slap Brian, who has caught the garter, on the back.

Lorelai whispers something in Luke's ear. "Yeah," Rory says. "But I also think things are where they need to be. I know it's getting old by now, but what everyone's been saying is true. This day is inevitable. Mom and Luke have been waiting for this for a long, long time."

They approach the dance floor, where Lorelai is about to throw her bouquet. Once the unmarried women have gathered around her, she turns to speak to them, a characteristic Lorelai grin on her face. "All right, I just want to tell you that if any of you are depressed about being single, don't be. Being single has its benefits, and I guarantee that somewhere out there is a guy who is every bit as good as you as my guy is for me. So, I just wanted to say that this used to be my least favorite part of weddings too, and I get it-even if you're making a drunk speech at a wedding because you're convinced that the wedding is never going to happen to you, don't lose courage, cause I think I'm pretty good evidence that true love does, in fact beat out everything else, when the right amount of work is put into it."

"Lorelai," Luke growls, from a few feet away. Lorelai nods and winks at them.

"Right. Anyway, I've never been a very good thrower, so my apologies if this hits one of you. I hereby instill the rule that the first person who gets hit automatically gets to keep this bouquet."

She turns around, and the girls hold up their arms. A moment later, the bouquet is flying through the air.

Six months ago, the whole concept of the bouquet throwing would have made Rory cry. She was still missing Logan, and as strong as she appeared on the outside, she still wondered what things would have been like if she'd said "Yes" to Logan's proposal. Even a month ago, at the bridal store Lorelai and Rory visited at the mall, she still felt a strange, sinking feeling when she saw the bride-to-be around her age. At that moment, she would not have hesitated to catch the bouquet of flowers. Though she was reminded of the importance of her choice later that day, she was still envious of her mom's close relationship with a member of the opposite sex.

Now, as Rory is confronted by the bouquet whizzing towards her, she finds herself hesitating. Jess is right. She is doing what she always set out to do, and at this point in the game, marriage or even a serious relationship would only set her back. Even Logan, the person who made her consider marriage in the first place, seems to have given her approval about her job, judging by the phone call she received. She doesn't need a man to be happy. She has friends, a newly expanded family, and a job that might help her achieve her dreams in her career. Her life might not be perfect just yet, but she likes it, just the same.

So when the bouquet is suspended in the air only a few feet from her, Rory does not make the motion to catch it. Instead, she steps away and lets Lulu make the move.

Lorelai looks at her. Mother's and daughter's eyes meet. She can tell her mother has not only seen Rory avoiding the bouquet, but the message behind it. Her mother, after all, is the person who knows her the best. Lorelai gives her a look-a look that quite clearly says, _You did the right thing, kid-_and for the first time, Rory allows herself to fully believe it.


End file.
